Babylove | A baby shower for an Elephant

So - want to know what a baby shower for an Elephant looks like? With a little girl on the way and a nursey decorated in red and white (with a splash of blue) it looks a little like this....

Recycled repurposed book decorations......

A few (million) doily "puffs"

Doily bunting......

Helium balloons (which the Owls LOVED inhaling afterwards - does that make me a bad mother? Squeaky voices are so funny though!!)

Plenty of food! Chocolate coated strawberries made just for Mrs Elephant by the eldest Owl child, cupcakes from Kustom Cupcakes and more!

My present to Mrs Elephant? A vintage style pram hunted down and kept secret for weeks
(which near killed me!)

As promised - a "forced" photo of a very pregnant elephant - she looks so happy don'tcha think??

Also from the Owl - a handcrafted elephant by the VERY clever Emma Maker 

and an "I don't have a sewing machine" handsewn quilt and pillow (dont look toooo closely!!) to match baby's own cot set. Look how beautiful this little elephant is!

Gosh those stitches look extra dodgy on camera! Lucky it was made with so much love!!

Also wrangled up some handcrafted name blocks...clever (and modest) much?! :oP 

Gorgeous gifts from gorgeous friends...

Lots of chit chat and laughs....

A more natural "hahaha I just took a photo of you and you didn't see it coming" style preggo shot - how lovely is that baby bump??

More presents.....

Including this BEAUTIFUL handcrafted gift from the very lovely Shelley who will soon be opening her own business. For more information email us at sales@theowlandthelephant.com.au and we will happily pass on your details. (and stay tuned - we will definitely let you know when she is up and running)

My favourite "game" by far was "Nat's hospital bag" - each guest was asked to bring something practical or fun to put into Nat's makeshift hospital bag. There where lollies, chocolates, condoms (tee hee) and one of our favourites....... cabbage leaves!!! (We love you Pauline!! And I love this photo hahahahaha)

What did I think was absolutely essential for Mrs Elephant's hospital bag? Well seeing she point blank refuses to let me in to witness the birth first hand 

(no way, when hell freezes over, all my bits, blah blah PFFT whatevs!!!) ....

A photo of me of course!!!! (I WILL be in the delivery suite - I WILL!!!) 

What would YOU have put in Mrs Elephant's hospital bag?

Thought of the moment:

If I had my life to live over, instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realised that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

Irma Bombeck

Sweet Dreams | Shabby Chic Bedhead

Ever since buying our new ensemble bed almost a year ago I have been searching high and low for the "perfect" bedhead, one that suited my "style" and was not going to cost me an arm and a leg.
After months of frustration I turned to Pinterest. Why on earth did I not do that sooner? I dont need to hunt down a bedhead - I can make one!! (with a little bit of help from Mr Owl!)
I am so in love with it! Made with repurposed recycled wood, white washed and laquered and shabbied within an inch of its life, I love how rustic it is! Heck i just plain LOVE it!! Everytime I walk past my bedroom with its perfectly arranged throw cushions (an ocd habit I learnt off Mrs Elephant) I cannot help but *sigh* its just so damn lubly..... So tell me - what do you think?

If you love it as much as we do - we would love to make you one! Stay tuned to our website as we will be listing them for sale very soon.

Thought of the moment:

Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful, that's what matters to me.

Steve Jobs

What does an Owl make an Elephant for Christmas?

Josie The Owl is one of those 'awesome present givers'...you know, the type that spends ages thinking about the perfect present for someone? No gift vouchers, socks or chocolates from that gal...she takes present giving very seriously!

So what did The Owl make for The Elephant this Christmas? Something she was bursting out of her skin to show me and tell me about days before Christmas...that's what!!

NOW I know why she was asking me what my favourite scripture was...I couldn't pinpoint one so she had to stalk me on Pinterest and see which ones I had been pinning!

Seen here with Earl the Elephant, yet another awesome gift from The Owl, made by the ever so talented Robyn at Focus on Art

We love doilies here at The Owl & the Elephant, and are busy pinning LOADS of projects to captivate their frilly goodness! Have you seen any good doily repurposing?

And if you like the look of this one, be sure to check out Josie's hand-made rustic wooden signs made from repurposed palettes on our website. She custom makes a fantastic We Are Family sign which incorporates all your family names in a scrabble board style format. Or do you have your own favourite inspirational quote you would like? Contact us for a quote.

This is another of our favourites: 

Available on our website

Stay tuned to see what The Elephant made The Owl for Christmas!!

Thought of the moment:

Gifts must affect the receiver to the point of shock.
Walter Benjamin

Making room for another baby Elephant

7 weeks and 6 days until The Elephant adds another baby girl to the herd! Yes, that's right....THREE girls!!

Not being a fan of 'pink and girly', I wanted to pick something femine yet 'different' for this baby's nursery. Not knowing where to start of course, I hit Pinterest for some inspiration for some different colour themes for girl's nurseries and really liked the idea of doing a red theme. So I started with the cot sheets and change mat cover and went from there. (Has anyone else found it difficult to find cute and funky cot sheets and change mat covers? Thinking maybe we might start making some for sale...let us know if you would be interested.)

Sneak peak of the not quite finished room!

Cute little crocheted owl from the ever so talented Jaimie at Pure Tots

The elephant was a gift from my favourite Owl! The teddy is a limited edition collectors piece from the Grandparents who have bought one for each of the girls so far...so cute and shaggy!

Spotty cot sheets I made myself

Little toadstools from Typo

Oh so shabby chic chair!! I managed to buy 3 completely different ones of these so each girl has one to keep. I can see them sitting on them every day, then displaying them in their rooms with their favourite teddys on when their little bot-botts don't fit the seat anymore...and hopefully keeping them as they grow up and move out of home. Josie also grabbed a gorgeous black damask one that her little Owl loves sitting on too.

Spotty Rabbit from The Owl & the Elephant! 

(We only have 2 of these left now, one in a pink damask, the other in a grey damask. Please contact us if you would like one. $40 each)

Got a nice red shaggy rug after MUCH debate and compromise with my hubby who reeealllllyyy didn't want me to paint a feature wall red! *Hrumph!! FINE!

Picked up these gorgeous lanterns so cheap from Spotlight, only $4.95 for the small size and $6.95 for the large size...bargain!!

Change mat cover I made myself, and whipped up a pillowcase to match this arvo too. 

Of course, I still need to add some more bits to her room, like an awesome light switch cover from The Owl & the Elephant, to match the change mat cover.

Any other suggestions?

Thought of the moment:

Having a baby is like taking your lower lip and forcing it over your head.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

I (Josie) dislike peas, bananas, early morning wake ups and the press studs on wondersuits (I can just never seem to get them right the first time!).
Nat (a-latte as I prefer to call her!) dislikes brussel sprouts, coffee breath, things in her ears and arches on houses (like seriously, in a 'they make her skin crawl' kinda way!)

We both however  LOVE .....

plates on walls!!!!!