Yard progress

Ready to see the progress on our yard? These "before" pictures are actually from when we moved in...over a year ago. So imagine everything with an additional year's of growth before we ripped stuff out. The house was vacant for over a year before we moved in. And one of the previous owners (about 5 or 6 years ago) was a master gardener. I would love to see what the yard looked like when she was keeping it up. We've been told by our neighbors that our house/yard was featured in the local home/garden show. Too bad it got so out of hand!


BEFORE (April 2012)

PROGRESS (as of July 2013)

We recently put seed down in the area on the bottom right where all those shrubs and plants were...which is why it's spotty looking.

Where we ripped out a lot of plants, leveled the garden bed to match our lawn, and put down some seed

So...previous owner put that grass thing in a pot in the ground. I guess to keep it contained so it wouldn't take over? We haven't gotten around to figuring out how we're going to get that out just yet...

Trees partially gone. Had to take a break because it was 90º out and our allergies were going nuts.

My dahlias!

This was full of weeds and plants. We took everything out except the rose bushes.

Both sides of the driveway were covered in weeds/plats/ivy. Where those is sitting on the bottom right was a bunch of evergreen bushes.

Got some sprouts coming up we need to take care of, but this whole thing was covered in 3 or 4 huge bushes we removed and ivy that was taking over (the ivy is what's trying to come back).

Previously, we didn't even know that little cement path (we believe it's the old driveway) existed. This whole area was overtaken by some acanthus that was badly overgrown.

Progress, but still lots to do!

More plant/shrub removal.

This is the area of the yard we have yet to tackle. It's going to take another long weekend with help. 

I don't even want to know what's back there...

The view of our patio at the moment. Had to put all those pavers/landscaping stones somewhere when we removed the flower bed in front. Planning to post them on craig's list in the coming weeks to get them out!

Our dirt mound growing weeds...this is where we dumped all the extra dirt from the front flowerbed until we figure out what to do with it.

So there you have it! Obviously, we still have a lot to do, but we've definitely made a lot of progress too! Our ultimate goal is to get a lot of the remaining plants removed and get more grass down so the girls have a better yard to play in. Plus, it'll be a lot less maintenance for us to have more grass and less plants. It's a shame to remove some of them because I think they could be really pretty if they were healthy...but most of them are to far overgrown and unhealthy to even transplant. Though I did attempt to transplant a couple...we'll see how they do. It's taken us this long because with the kids, only one of us can be out in the yard at a time. It's not fully fenced, so we can't both work without keeping a constant eye on the girls.

I'll get a house tour up too from when we first moved in...and then I'll post Eden's room (the only room that looks different with the exception of our furniture being in the house).

attention follows!

Just an fyi...I've changed my domain. I no longer own the bearfruitstudios.com domain. And I've also dropped the "studios" from my blog name. That was something I was planning to use as a business name...and then children happened. And for the time being, I don't have time for my own business. So for now, it's just Bear Fruit. And my new blog address is letsbearfruit.com. So please update your RSS readers or whatever you're using. I also added a bloglovin button to follow me there if you want to.

What I've been up to...

Hi you guys! It's been a while. Like...a long while. Like...a over a year long. I had kind of abandoned this blog because I haven't really had time to do much crafting or projects with two in tow, but I saw some pins from my blog on pinterest, and I thought..."what??? People actually pin stuff from MY blog?" and then it got me wondering how my stats were looking. I was pretty shocked to see the numbers for views on some of my posts and that people still look at it regularly. So I've gotten a little re-inspired to try and do something with it again. I can't promise I'll blog super regularly. My personal blog has taken a big hit since having baby number two. Having two littles so close together (16.5 months) is no joke! It's hard work! And my poor hubby's work has been insane. Therefore, my down time is usually spent doing chores or trying to shove down some food (picture me at the kitchen counter stuffing my face with cookies while my kids nap because I don't want them to eat sugar but can't completely give it up myself...hypocrite much?), maybe enjoy a little quiet time and sit down with a cup of tea or coffee, etc. I'm trying to be a little more "unplugged" these days and more connected with my family. I use my phone for pictures and videos, but I'm trying to cut back on the social media. So again, I can't promise any regularity with my posting. But hey, I'm human. And the fact that I didn't blog for a while because I've felt like a failure in my lack of DIYing and crafting doesn't actually make me a failure. It makes me a busy mommy who has her priorities straight...I think.

So here's what you've missed:

Back in April 2012, we purchased our first home! So we've been here a little over a year now. It's a cute little craftsman style house in an amazing neighborhood (took us 2 years to get into this neighborhood). It's just under 1400 sq feet (finished) plus an unfinished basement and attic. It's 3 bedrooms, 1.75 bathrooms. We love it. But sadly, we have not done much to it. We moved in with guns blazing and quickly realized we just couldn't afford to do everything we wanted to. So we picked one project to complete (which is still not done yet...but that's another story). And we've been at a standstill since. We haven't even painted the walls, you guys. How horrible is that?! Not that the paint colors are hideous. They're just SO not us. My camera is in the office at the moment...which is where child #2 is sleeping right now...so I cannot get to my memory card to post any pictures just yet. But I'll get there. The only project we did when we moved in was to do an overhaul of the nursery. This house is old. It was built in 1923, and we knew there was likely lead paint in the house. And the plaster in that room was in bad shape. So we gutted it (aka my husband gutted it since I was super preggo and couldn't breathe in sketchy stuff), insulated it, put up new sheetrock, redid the whole closet, new windows (including making one of them bigger), new molding, paint, new lighting...big project. The reason I say it's not done yet? Well, we're first-time homeowners. We had never DIYed to this degree before. And we were terribly misinformed. We chose not to texture the walls because we wanted a smooth finish. And the lady at the Benjamin Moore paint store told us regular primer would be just fine on bare sheet rock (I know...all you experienced DIYers are shaking your heads). But it wasn't. So the paint peels off like a sticker. Literally. We taped a wall up to paint some stripes (which we love), and when we peeled the tape off, all the base color paint came with it! Well, not ALL of it. But some chunks. And we haven't had the time or energy to take EVERYTHING out of the room and fix it. It requires mudding, using a special primer, and repriming/painting the entire room. And painting over the beautiful stripes we worked so hard on. So it's just been sitting unfinished. Because we haven't had the time or the money. Good paint is expensive. Like...REALLY expensive. We're so frustrated with the whole thing that we just avoid it. It doesn't keep Thing 1 from enjoying her room or living in it. She doesn't care that there are chunks of paint missing from her stripe wall. Currently, we're doing some pretty major work in the yard [you know, since that's free]. I'll have to post some pictures of the progress. It's pretty dramatic!

In August 2012, I gave birth to a beautiful baby GIRL. She is gorgeous and I love her to pieces. But she is also a challenge. She had colic for the first 5 months and literally screamed 6 hours a day. And would be up most nights around 2am for another 2 hour scream session. It was rough. Hardest time of my life, actually. And thanks to that little miss, I think we're done having kids for good. But she's a whole 10 months old now...walking and all! And she's a joy to be around now (most times). She's still a much fussier and more high maintenance child than our first was/is, but she's just her own person. I don't know why we expected our second child to be just like our first. They're different people!

Introducing...

Miss Charlotte! Born August 23rd at 9:05am. She came fast and furious (as in...I was 9.5 cm dilated when we got to the birthing center and gave birth only a half hour after we arrived for a total of only 3 hours in labor).

Here she is last week at the spray park...

So lots of stuff going on. Plus, my hubby got a big promotion at work that completely changed what he does. And it's been good. And we've had some lifestyle changes as well (diet changes due to Eden and I finding out we're gluten intolerant). Thing 1 is up from her nap, so I better sign off! I hope to be on again posting some pictures soon. I'll post the progress we've made on Eden's room so at least I can show SOMETHING! Even if it's imperfect and not completely decorated yet (on account of knowing we'll have to take everything off the walls to fix them).

Happy Tuesday!

Favorite skin care and makeup products

Quick unrelated note...girls' nursery/bedroom reveal coming soon! We're almost done with it, so I'll post pictures!

I've changed a lot of things with my makeup and skin care routine lately and have been extremely happy with the results. So much so that I often find myself saying "man, I LOVE this stuff" every morning. Literally. I'm not being asked or paid to promote these products. I just like to share about stuff that really excites me. So here's what I use for makeup and skin care:

via

First up is my skin care regiman. I have oily and acne prone skin...but it's also extremely sensitive, so I have a really hard time finding something that doesn't give me a reaction or dry my skin out too much while still treating/preventing blemishes. I've used expensive products like DDF and Dermatoligca to less expensive like Aveeno and Alba Botanicals. All of them contain some sort of acne medication...either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. And while those medications are in there to help clear and prevent breakouts and control oil production...they always leave my face feeling crazy dry and stretched out. And the topical pimple creams do help with red and swollen blemishes, but they also dry my face out something awful. The last product I tried actually gave me an allergic reaction that took a prescription strength hydrocortisone cream to clear up. So that's when I'd had enough of all the chemicals and medications and decided to try something more natural. Natralia is a homeopathic type acne system. It doesn't contain any harsh chemicals or medications, so it doesn't dry me out. And because it doesn't dry me out, I actually don't even need a face moisturizer anymore. And the acne rescue cream is awesome. I wasn't real convinced it would work or be effective but thought it was at least worth a try. And guess what? After about a month of use, my face is clearer than its ever been my entire life. And that's saying a lot right now considering pregnancy hormones turn me into a pizza face. I still get a couple pimples, but they never get all swollen and nasty and if I pop them (I know, shame on me), they're usually gone or almost gone the next day. My face is so clear I actually ran to the bank for some cash without a drop of makeup on! I hardly liked to let my hubby see me without makeup before just because I was so self conscious. I also haven't gotten a single one of those nasty, painful under the skin pimples that make your whole face hurt since I started using Natralia. Needless to say, I'm thrilled with my new skin care regimen! 

Moving onto makeup products...I mentioned in a post a few months ago that I switched to a brand called Jane Iredale. I felt the brand I was using before that had really messed up my skin and clogged my pores...causing even worse acne than usual. Jane Iredale is pricey, I will admit. More than I have ever spent on a makeup product...but it lasts forever and it does wonders for your skin. My best friend's mom (she's an esthetician and cosmetologist) recommended it to me. It's actually a medical makeup specially designed for people with serious skin issues to help restore and heal. But it's also totally natural and free of harsh chemicals, so it doesn't clog your pores or screw with your complexion. You can check out more about their products and ingredients on their website: www.janeiredale.com. 

Here are the products I use:

Liquid Minerals Foundation 

(bisque color because I'm as pale as they come)

via

I use this as the first layer to help moisturizer my face and even out my skin tone. 

Amazing Base in Ivory

via

This is a loose mineral powder type foundation. The Liquid Minerals helps give the Amazing Base something to cling to so it stays on my skin. I use a powder brush to apply a light layer all over my face (it helps absorb oil throughout the day and keeps me from getting too shiny). Then I go back with a concealer brush and apply the Amazing Base to trouble spots (blemishes and the exhausted mommy circles under my eyes). It does an awesome job as a concealer. I never have a need for anything additional. 

PurePressed Blush in Tawny

via

I apply a little blush to the top of my cheek bones and the tip of my nose to keep me looking healthy. I'm naturally so pale that I can look a little sickly without some blush to add color. 

Balance Spray

via

Two or three sprays of this to my face set the makeup so it stays on all day and also helps with oil production. Oh, and it smells amazing too. 

(If I decide to wear any eye shadow, I'll put this in BEFORE the balance spray and spritz afterward.)

Blinc Mascara in black

via

I don't typically wear any eye makeup outside mascara unless it's a special occasion or date night because I have horrible allergies and get itchy eyes a lot...I usually end up wiping most of my eye makeup off by the end of the day anyway, so I just forego it. Anyway, this mascara is awesome. Because of my allergies and sensitive eyes, I almost always wear waterproof mascara or I have flakes and raccoon eyes by the end of the day. The problem I have with waterproof mascara is that it's a complete pain in the rear to take off. Even using special eye makeup remover designed for waterproof makeup doesn't always take it off completely...and I wake up in the morning with raccoon eyes. Blinc is water resistant and will not flake. But it also comes off SO easy. They have come up with a new technology (check out their website for more info) that actually forms water resistant tubes around your eyelashes instead of painting them. And at the end of the day, the only thing you need to take it off is a little warm water and some pressure from your fingertips...and the tubes pull right off your eyelashes! It's awesome! I actually really enjoy taking it off because it's so cool to watch. Haha! This mascara is wonderful for contact wearers and people with sensitive eyes. I find myself itching my eyes about half as much as I did before. 

Magic Mitt

via

This isn't makeup. It's a makeup remover. And you don't need anything but warm water! It's this great little mitt that is designed to remove all your makeup (including eye makeup) without anything but water. Simply wet it with warm water, wring out the extra water, and wipe your makeup off (if one side gets too icky, turn it around and use the other side). When you're done, use a little hand soap to clean your makeup off the mitt, and hang it up to dry. That's it! Super easy, and it takes off make far better than anything else I've ever used (I used to use those Pond's moist towelettes specially designed to remove makeup and oil). 

There ya have it. My complete skin care and makeup regimen. 

A couple tips for good makeup application:

Wash your brushes regularly. I clean my liquid foundation brush daily so nothing clumps or builds up in it. I wash my other brushes (powder, concealer, blush) once every week. It's really important to clean your brushes at least weekly. It gives you the best makeup application because it keeps makeup from building up (like when you've gone so long without cleaning your blush brush that you don't even need to dust it across your blush compact to get the proper amount of your face...yuck, right?). And it also prevents bacteria from your face from getting into your makeup and being transferred back to your face...which keeps your makeup better longer and keeps your skin clearer. 

Make sure your foundation colors blend completely with your natural complexion. The best way to test it is to apply a little to your neck. If it blends and you cannot even tell where you've applied it, it's perfect. 

What are your favorite skin care and makeup products? Any must-haves?

Kony 2012

Please watch this video and then share it like crazy. It's worth 30 minutes of your time, I promise!

etsy baby love

I've been checking etsy and pinterest for cute baby/kid stuff both for things to buy and for inspiration on stuff to make. I originally super loved the timi and leslie diaper bag I posted about earlier, but I just found an etsy bag that I LOVE way more.

Check out all these awesome baby/kid items!!

Love this toddler bedding for Eden. We plan to move her to a toddler bed around 18 months to free up her crib for baby 2. It's gender neutral since they'll be sharing a room but is cute too if I had some colorful pillows or sheets on the bed.

via etsy

This is from the same etsy shop as the above bedding, but it's a bit more girly with the print. I really love red for a girl. And it would go great in the room if this new one is a boy. The plus is that it's organic bedding!

via etsy

LOVE this mobile!! It couldn't be more perfect for our rainy state of Washington, but the colorful raindrops are much brighter than our grey days here. I'm totally going to make this.

via hgtv

Love the little cloud pillow on the wall. From the same etsy shop as the bedding...and it totally goes with the baby mobile.

via etsy

Here's the diaper bag I plan to get. I'm smitten. It's waterproof and has 8 pockets inside for organization. It's about the same size as the timi & leslie one, but I actually like it better. Oh, and did I mention it's half the price? Awesome!

via etsy

I wanted to do this in Eden's room before she was born but ran out of time and wall space...I still love this idea though. Various fabris in embroidery rings of various of various sizes. Too cute! I'm totally doing this in the kids' room (assuming we have a bigger place where they can share a room).

via hgtv

Last but not least...I'm completely in love with this nursery! It's gender neutral but SO cute. I like the neutral grey walls with the pops of color. Absolutely adorable. Not sure if I'll go with this exact color scheme for our kiddos, but I may do something similar (neutral walls and pops of color). 

via etsy

Are you seeing the grey theme? Haha. I might have a slight obsession with grey!

iphone cases

Ahhh. In love with a bunch of iPhone cases from society6!

Here are some of my faves...

It's a little bright for my taste, but I still think it's really cute.
Get it here!

Get it here.

Very in-line with my current mustard and zig zag obsession.
Get it here.

Get it here. 

I love Penguin books. What a great idea!
Get it here.

Get it here.

Get it here.