I thought I’d share a snapshot or two of the DIY manicure I gave myself earlier this week.  I’ve been sticking to pretty basic shades lately, but I had fun switching it up with this gold and coral combo.

To get the stripes, I painted my nail coral and let the polish dry overnight.  (You don’t have to wait that long, but you’ll want to wait at least an hour or two to make sure you don’t smudge your base color.)  Then, I cut tiny strips of washi tape at a diagonal and laid them across the nail.  Washi tape is great because it’s not too sticky and peels off the nail really easily.  I painted two coats of gold over the entire nail and made sure to carefully remove the tape before the gold was completely dry.

Pretty darn easy!

My coral shade is Sally Hansen’s Coral Reef.  The gold is Sally Hansen’s Golden-I.  And the top coat is Seche Vite (which is so much better than anything you’ll find at a drugstore… it keeps nails from chipping for days and creates the perfect shiny finish!)

Want another little sneak peek of baby girl’s nursery?  Today, I thought I’d share photos of her sweet coral dresser, which was a DIY project inspired by this photo (which I saw ages ago and earmarked for our future nursery instantly!)…

I bought the dresser for $20 on Craigslist because it was the perfect height to double as a changing table.  Still, I knew that it would need some major upgrades in order to be nursery-ready.  I employed my mom for help and we got to work.  Check out the “before” picture, below:

First, I sanded it down so the paint would stick more easily.  Then, we used a white semi-gloss paint to cover the body of the dresser.  I bought a quart of coral paint at Home Depot to use for the drawers, but when we played with a swatch, it turned out to be much too orange.  So we added some red and white paint and created the perfect custom color ourselves!

Like the inspiration photo, we put the darkest shade on the bottom and then kept adding more white as we went up with the drawers.

Once the paint dried (most of it needed two coats) we added the sweet pink glass knobs, which were a clearance find at Pier One— score!

So far, I think this is my favorite piece in the nursery.  I love that it’s girly but not too girly and I can’t wait to find the perfect fabric to use for the changing pad so I can really complete the look.

I’m still adding finishing touches to baby girl’s nursery, but I thought I’d share a sneak peek of one of the projects I’ve already completed, if you’d like to see…

In my first trimester when I was so sick, I found that rocking back and forth in the glider at my midwife’s office was very soothing.  I decided that I wanted to get one for the house and I started scouring Craigslist for good deals.

I came across this simple rocking chair and thought it would do the trick, so we snatched it up with the goal of re-covering the cushions.  Here’s a before photo:

The color was a tired mint that was yellowing with age.  I didn’t know the condition of the cushions underneath, so I decided to keep the mint covers and sew right over them.  I chose this grey and white polka dot fabric knowing that we could use it down the line if baby #2 is a boy.

The glider didn’t come with an ottoman, so I searched around for something creative to use.  I found this knitted pouf on sale at Target for $30— score!

Now, to find the perfect throw pillow and I think this project will be complete!

People seem to either love or hate Valentine’s Day.  I happen to be someone who loves it.  Any excuse to celebrate love is just fine by me!

I’m feeling especially attached to  Vday this year, since it’s the last time Trav and I will be celebrating as a duo and not a trio (eee!)  But since the holiday falls on Thursday, it’s not exactly realistic to have an all-day love fest.

If you’re looking to get into the spirit of love, but haven’t made the time yet, here are a few quick and easy ideas…

Rock a heart manicure.  This one was inspired by The Beauty Department and it has kept me in the Valentine’s spirit all week!

Put out conversation hearts.  Totally cheesy, very nostalgic, and a cutesy way to leave love notes on your sweetie’s pillow…

Decorate with a DIY heart garland.  This was way easier to make than I would have expected and looks totally cute.

Get crafty.  I put together this Valentine’s Day craft box for a friend over the weekend.  Making homemade cards is still one of my favorite activities.

Decorate heart cookies!  Because you can never have too much sugar, right?  Click here for the recipe…

What are you doing to get into the spirit of Valentine’s Day?  Got any ideas to share?

P.S. I am totally swooning over these heart bowls from West Elm!

Wow, this week has just flown by, don’t you think?!  I’m looking forward to this weekend… we’re taking a little road trip to visit my brother and cheer him on during his first half marathon!  (Hopefully it goes much better than mine did, haha.)

I’ve got some fun surprises set for the blog next week, so make sure to check back on Monday :)

Let’s kick the weekend off right with some fun links from around the web!

Obsessed with this braided updo!

Easy DIY votives…

Trav and I tried out a similar recipe this week and it was delish!  (We added bacon and grilled onions :)

Sweet doorstop.

I love when ladies post weekly pregnancy updates… so cute!

How cozy is this mug sweater?

This home would be the perfect spot for a dreamy weekend getaway…

Is it bad that I’m already reeeeeallly excited for Christmas?

Boot lust!

For more fun finds, follow me on Pinterest…

What are you up to this weekend?  Any fun plans?  Got some links of your own to share?  Comment below!