FRIDAY INSPIRATION: WHITE FLOORS!

Cheers to the weekend! The Baker Playroom is completing today and I am so excited to share it! If you want to see the behind the scenes, head over to my stories on Instagram throughout the day!

Today I'm sharing my ultimate dreamy flooring in kids' spaces...white floors! Both daring and unsurprisingly impractical, these are so pretty I only dream of painting my own kids' floors white. What do you think? So gorgeous you must try? Or absolutely absurd? Either way, they are so very PRETTY!  

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Happy Friday!

3 DIY PROJECTS TO KEEP KIDS HAPPY ALL SUMMER LONG

It's June and we're on the cusp of summer. The warm days and extra hours of sunshine mean summer days drift slowly and easily into summer nights on the patio or in the backyard. The kids are staying up later and us parents are settling into keeping everyone happy a little longer each day. One of the things I love most is creating places or opportunities for the kids to spend hours happily playing without needing constant attention. These three DIY summer projects for kids are sure to do just that.

We've done over these DIYs over the past few years and they have bought us hours and hours of endless fun and memories. The kids are already asking to do another lemonade / street stand this year!

If you're thinking of doing any of these projects in time for the holidays, NOW is the perfect time to start!

PLAYHOUSE DIY

A couple of summers ago, we took a standard playhouse and gave it a little all over update. Nothing prepared me for how popular this little playhouse would become, both online and at home in our backyard! It has been the centre of our playdates for the past couple of years and more cookies, milkshakes and ice cream scoops have been served up in the playhouse than in our real kitchen!

I detailed the entire playhouse project when we first completed it and I can't recommend this project enough. It's been SO worth the many cans of paint and hours it took as I know our children will have memories of this little house long after it's gone.

IKEA HACK LEMONADE STAND

Last summer our kids decided that they HAD to have a lemonade stand before the end of summer. On the last weekend of the holidays, we built this little lemonade stand using two IKEA Latt tables, a few extra pieces of wood and we made the lemonade sign using card stock and stickers. This one was a big win for quick and easy and turned into a full afternoon impromptu neighbourhood party. It was pure fun and the kids have ideas of a flower sale or veggie sale from our garden this summer. Wish me luck ;)

KIDS ART SPACE

Wanting a way to whittle away the hours when the sun is too hot or a baby is napping? Creating a kids art space is the perfect thing! While the room may not stay as tidy and styled as it looks here, the fun and creativity that stems from having a place solely dedicated to art is worth every drop of paint and sticky mess you'll be cleaning up. Free-for-all paint may not work for every parent and every family home but I love the adventure it brings when kids get to decide exactly what they want to make with the supplies provided. 

These are my favourite three home projects we've done so far that will create lasting childhood memories while keeping the kids entertained for endless hours. What other ways do you keep your kids busy in creative and imaginative ways over the summer? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

Happy Friday everyone!

SEE THE FULL PROJECT POSTS...

PLAYHOUSE

KIDS ART STUDIO

LEMONADE STAND

OH MONDAY!

1. Why, when it's 20+ outside, do the weekends seem to fly by so much faster? For our friends in the US, I know the weekend is still happening right now. Enjoy it!

2. In other news, our playroom project is completing next week and I can't wait to show it to you!!! Here's a little peek at an in progress iPhone shot.

3. Did you pick anything up in the sales over the weekend? Most are still on today if you haven't!

4. I can't stop pinning!!! Anyone else addicted to Pinterest? This photo is still one of our top pinned images and I am as in love with this canopy corner today as the day I designed Ella's room.

5. The countdown to summer break is on and I would love your help with anything you'd like to see on the blog over the summer. Are you interested in seeing the activities we do at home with the kids? Or would you rather just stick to kids design all year round? If you have any posts you'd like to see here, please let me know in the comments below!

WEEKEND SHOPPING: FUN FINDS FOR THE KIDDOS

It's Saturday, the sun is shining and the sales are ON!!! After celebrating a lazy long weekend here in Canada last weekend, this weekend is about getting set up for the summer. We still have another month of school but I love to be prepared so that the most time possible is spent lazing with the kids once the holidays hit.

Some of our favourite shops have great sales this weekend so it's the perfect time to think ahead, whether it's adding some Spring finds to the kids rooms, fresh pillows to your patio or a lighter quilt for those hot summer nights. 

I'm featuring some favourite finds for breezy summer days with the kids from Serena & Lily (use code SUMMERDAYS for 20% off!) in this board to give you a pulled together look for a covered outdoor area and have added more sites below with codes to shop the sale!

01. // Cozy quilt; 02. // Hanging chair; 03. // Wood stools; 04. // Storage bins; 05. // Large pillow; 06. // Textured pillow; 07. // Beach chair.

Pehr:
For simple modern rugs and my favourite storage bins! Use code HOORAY for 20% off.

Coyuchi:
If you don't know this site, it's my go-to for clients looking for organic linens. The quality is high, the toxins are low and there is a new section just for kids. Love this organic cotton (inside and out) comforter for summer nights. 20% off certain items.

McGee & Co:
SO many amazing finds from rugs to pillows to faux greenery (perfect for kids bedrooms & bathrooms!). Use code SUMMERSALE for 20% off.

Lulu & Georgia:
Their new kids section has some great finds, including this gold mesh lamp that is both safe AND functional for kids rooms! From 15%-25% off depending on what you spend, this is a good one!

Noble Carriage:
With a big focus on organic products, this small shop carries the adorable Holdie doll house that I can't find anywhere in Canada. Use code MEMORIAL for 20% off.

Crate & Kids:
Looking to make a furniture purchase for your kids? This is the place. Code SAVE15 will get you 15% off all full priced items.

Etsy:
Etsy is my favourite place for unique finds from handmade shops. Lots of small makers have sales this weekend. To find sales on shops near you, enter 'sale' into the search bar and then set a custom location. It's a great way to find sales this weekend and throughout the whole year!

Hope you have a memory-making weekend whether it is a long one or not.

IN THE GARDEN WITH KIDS

Our kids looove the garden. They spend hours outside digging, watering, collecting treasures, picking, eating and generally just being very, very happy. While fresh air and sunshine are obviously an incredible feeling for us all, I also think having a little piece of dirt to play with is just plain fun. Whether you live in an apartment, or have a small outdoor area (us!) or have a sprawling backyard, a simple garden can bring kids SO MUCH JOY!

Most people know our backyard because of our little playhouse. On the other side along a fence, we have a small garden bed where we grow vegetables. This year, the kids were fully onboard with it all, from choosing the plants to planting them!

With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to share a bit about our garden this season as we are novice gardeners and the outcome is FUN more than whether the plants actually grow.

We started with simple things - herbs (parsley, cilantro, still need to plant chives), lettuce and kale and the bean plant that Xavier brought home from preschool. These are sure to produce at least something. I also let the kids pick out plants that they wanted (zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli), which we have never grown before. We have had success with tomatoes in the past (and our kids gobble them up like candy) so put in five different tomato plants this year to test out colour and variety (and also put one in a pot next to the garden instead of in the garden bed to test which plants were happier). Like I said, we aren't looking for an amazing garden; it's all more of an experiment!

This is an ongoing project that I thought I would keep you posted on over the summer. I am happy to share anything about the garden in hopes that it might inspire you to start one of your own! Just leave me a comment and I'll answer it as quickly as possible.

There are some key items that we love to have nearby for the kids to use. Below I'm sharing our favourite tools for gardening with kids, including our favourite slide, which is perfect for times when everyone just needs a break, ha!

I'd love to know...do you grow plants with your kids? 

01. // Garden tools; 02. // Magnifying glass; 03. // Watering can; 04. // Gardening gloves; 05. // Flower press; 06. // Plant labels; 07. // Garden book; 08. // Water shoes; 09. // Outdoor slide; 10. // Plant buggy.