Your Nest

After our trip to Paris, I began making crepes, since obviously we could not go back to a "crepe-less existence". Crepes are one of my favorite breakfast foods to make. Everyone loves them and they are super easy and quick to make! You can make crepes in any flavor you prefer, but in this recipe we will be making Strawberries and Creme version. You will need: 4 eggs 1 1/3 cups of milk 2 tbsp. melted butter or oil 1 cup of all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt (optional) Stir the eggs first, then stir in the milk and oil. Make sure the oil/melted butter is not hot when you pour it in with the eggs. Slowly whisk in the flour and salt. Now, simply spoon the very thin  batter into a greased skillet. Pour enough batter to where it covers the entire bottom of the skillet and is in a very thin layer. Cooking them is similar to pancakes. They cook fairly quickly though. Flip, careful not to tear it. When presenting, you can either roll them or fold them in quarters. With th

My husband and I love to travel, but this summer we decided to take our adventuring up a notch and bring our kiddos with us to Paris. It was so worth it! Just a peek into our visit with some pictures here: Yes, the Eiffel Tower was just as impressive as I imagined it to be. The park at the base of the tower was such a peaceful respite from the bustling tourist area a few feet away. Complete with trees, ponds, ducks, and the classic French lovers strolling the paths. My favorite part of Paris. The beautifully crafted French pastries could be found on literally any street corner. It was so gorgeous. I felt a little guilty eating it. Perfection! Notre Dame. We tried to stay away from the tourist attractions as much as possible. But some things just must be seen in person. This was one of those places! Paris does a lot of things well. One of my favorites were the carousels scattered throughout the city for the littles to enjoy. And only 2€! The view from the 1st flo

Meet my new favorite book, "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv. If you haven't read it yet, you need to. In my past I was vaguely aware of this concept of "nature deficit disorder", but never thought it would concern me or my future kids. I grew up in South Carolina, surrounded by woods, rivers, lakes, and mountains. As a child I was outside for the majority of my day- building forts, throwing dirt bombs, hiking, making salad out of poison oak leaves... 😒  I always assumed that my children's experiences would be much the same.... ...until we moved to NYC... Adjusting to life in the concrete jungle has been challenging for my husband and I.  For our children, both of whom have been raised here in the city, urban life is their normal. In my heart and soul I knew that I didn't want my son and daughter to grow up distant from nature. But after reading this book, I was adamant not to let that happen!  But let's be honest, ur

A large backyard art studio sounds amazing, but for now I am creating in my small NYC apartment at my kitchen table... You have to work with what you have available, and in NYC, a spacious studio is not readily available.... But, nevertheless, I wanted to invite you to have a seat at my table as I work on my newest listing-                                                                                                                              Baby Countdown Blocks.  Since I first listed it on my shop a little over a year ago, it has remained my best seller! With this handmade block set, expectant moms can countdown the weeks until their due date. Having this set prominently displayed helps you share your anticipation with others as well! Many moms also choose to use them as decor at baby showers and pregnancy photo props.  Each block is made from solid American basswood and hand sanded for smooth edges. The base block measures 4 inches x 2 inches, and the numb

I always get drawn into the home decor department of every store I visit. I end up walking through the aisles, daydreaming about every knickknack, every pillow case, every bookshelf. With each item I can picture a whole new room setup and theme. Then my daydreaming turns to lust and I have to pull myself away and back to a more practical department.....like, the diaper aisle. Why is it that home decor is so very expensive?! But I am finding that it doesn't have to be. Our houses don't have to look like a picture from Better Homes and Gardens. Our houses can tell our stories. Though it's tempting at times, our homes don't need to be perfectly designed hotel rooms. A home just needs to be a place where you feel safe, comfortable, and secure. Your nest. Here are a few tips I've found that help you build a nest that tells your story: 1. Your home is for you! We should do everything we can to make our home a place that is comfortable and welcoming to our guest

Building A Nest That Tells Your Story... My husband and I both grew up in foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Much of our identity was rooted in the rural, beautiful setting in which we lived.  After moving to New York City, we found peace and happiness as we worked to make our NYC apartment more like the home we knew.  A home is an outgrowth of your own heart and passions. Your story, who you are, what you love, can be poured out for all to see through the style of your home decor.  At Your Nest Designs our goal is to create unique, customized decor that will turn your house into a home. Always handmade. Always made to order. Let us help you build a nest that tells your story!