We recently upgraded to a king-size memory foam mattress. After years of sleeping on a queen-size garbage mattress with a pit the size of Grand Canyon in the middle, it was long over due. I often woke with an aching back, hips, or neck and it made me depressed and annoyed. But now I wake up every day feeling like this:

A king size bed has been on our wishlist for years, and I figured if we were going to get a new mattress anyway, we might as well upgrade to a king now. I researched a bunch of the online bed-in-a-box mattress companies – Leesa, Brooklyn Bedding, Casper, Tuft and Needle, and honestly, they all seemed kinda the same. Free shipping, 100 night risk-free trials, a bevy of glowing reviews. In the end I chose Casper because, based on customer feedback, it seemed to be the softest of the bunch, which is good for side sleepers like me. It arrived in a sturdy box, just like my favorite wine, and was super easy to set up.  The mattress came compressed, so all we had to do was pull it out of the box, unroll it, and watch it expand to size. Mike D and I loved it immediately. It alleviated the soreness I was waking up with in my back and hips, which was great, but after a few nights, I began to notice some soreness in my shoulders. I made a quick call to Casper to see if they could recommend anything. The woman I spoke with was very nice and offered to send a free topper to alleviate some of the pressure on my shoulders. YASSS! So nice. She explained how the mattress is designed for an average size human, so those under 140 lbs might find the mattress a bit too firm. That explains why I (a grown woman trapped in a 12 year old’s body) had some shoulder soreness but Mike D was fine. I received the topper within a week and it totally did the trick. No more shoulder soreness, and I’ve been sleeping like a baby ever since. It’s the perfect combination of firm and soft now, and Mike still loves it, even with the new topper (in fact, he didn’t even notice a difference). This isn’t a sponsored post by the way, even though it seems like it totally is. I just wanted to share my good experience with you. Because y’all my dudes.

We sold our queen sized bed it and replaced it with this  bed in sky gray. It’s a real grown-up kinda bed – it’s sturdy, comfortable, looks nice, and you can’t beat that price! I picked up some new sheets (on sale! Hurry!) and traded in my great grandmother’s chenille bedspread for a down alternative comforter for the winter. It’s all so comfy and warm now. I just want to spend the rest of this stupid dark winter lounging about on my new mattress-in-a-box, drinking wine-in-a-box and watching dick-in-a-box.

Our bedroom is tiny, so with the addition of the king sized bed, there was room for only one nightstand. The mirrored table I had there was pretty, but I  always kept a pile of junk on the nightstand – a book, lip balm, eye cream, remote, vitamins, you get the picture, so I wanted something with storage to hide all that garbage out of sight. I looked around in stores and online, fruitlessly, before remembering I had an old nightstand from my parents house in the basement that might work. I brought it upstairs to try it in the space, and low and behold, it was the perfect size and scale. It just needed some zhushing.

Ok, fine, it was totally whacktastic. First I wiped it down with some Mrs Meyers soap and warm water, then I lightly sanded the surface to roughen it up for paint. I brushed on two coats of “Soot” by Benjamin Moore in satin finish (the same color I used on my dresser a few years back) and it was looking pretty good. Then, the pièce de ré·sis·tance – these fancytown handles from Anthropologie.

I bought 8 of them on clearance several years ago, but only needed six for my dresser. I’m so glad I held onto those two extra handles. They are bringing the heat and they are bringing it hard.

Is your head, like, totally exploding from the transformation? Just wait until you see the drawer liners I cut to size with my very own hands.

DAYYYYUM those drawers are SECK. (Like your mom).

That blanket and that dreamcatcher were totally separated at birth! Now they’re best friends and plan to bring their wayward parents back together.

That’s our sassy ghost cat. She came with the nightstand and terrorizes us in our sleep.

NO BIG DEAL.

The end!

I’m so thrilled to have my dreamcatcher DIY included in Natural Modern magazine! It’s a special interest Fall issue from the company that produces magazines like Atomic Ranch and Flea Market Decor. The magazine focuses on midcentury lines, natural elements, and a laid-back aesthetic. Inside you’ll find tips for personalized decorating from Elsie and Emma of A Beautiful Mess, easy & stylish DIYs, a houseplant guide, a how-to for creating gallery walls, and a bevy of inspirational boho-modern ideas for your home.

You can snag a copy from your local Target, Barnes & Noble, or grocery store. You can also buy it online here. I hope you check it out!

Xoxo

Update! A small batch of dream catchers are now available in my shop. Treat yo’self! 

Something peculiar happened the other night. I awoke in the wee hours of the morning to a faint pitter-patter on the other side of our bedroom. I sat up slowly, held my breath, and listened intently. Celia poked her head out from under the covers and watched curiously as I cocked my head to the side.  Is it a tapping? No… maybe more like a crackling? I pulled back the covers and crept across the room. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed our new dream catcher fluttering against the wall, its feathers pirouetting and pas jetéing, like tiny ballerinas. I scratched my head for a moment and looked around. Is there a draft in here?… I shrugged it off, crept back to bed, and buried my face under the covers. As I drifted back to sleep, I imagined the feathers wearing tutus and dancing to Swan Lake.

When I awoke the next morning, I recalled another dream. I was at a cocktail bar having a glass of wine with Bruce Willis and my good friend Melanie. Bruce leaned over the table, reached into my hair, and lifted out a dark strand. “I just love these low-lights. They give your hair so much dimension!” Melanie joined in, “It’s like a decadent river of chocolate running through a field of wheat!”. I rose from bed feeling positively bouncy and unusually optimistic about my hair. I dare say the universe was attempting to send me another dream about my teeth falling out that night, but thanks to my new dream catcher, it died hard (like a vengeance).

A little bit about dream catchers: Native Americans believe the night air is filled with dreams, both good and bad. The dream catcher catches the dreams as they flow by. Only good dreams can pass through while bad dreams are caught in the webbing and perish when the sun rises.

And now! The part where I show you how to make your own Die Hard Dream Catcher™

First: Gather supplies.

• A wooden embroidery hoop (I used a 14 inch hoop, but any size will do)
• A stick from your yard, at least one inch wider than your hoop
• 30-40 Feathers (I used artificial feathers from JoAnn Fabrics)
• Suede cord
• String/twine (similar thickness to bakers twine)
• Optional: craft paint, for painting the ends of your feathers. I used metallic gold and robins egg for a little extra glamourtimez.

1. Begin by wrapping the suede cord all around the hoop. This takes a while. I recommend putting on some music or a movie to help pass the time. I listened to this podcast from This American Life in which they discuss seven boring topics to avoid at dinner parties. Ironically, one of these topics is how you slept, and/or your dreams. Apparently people find these topics uninteresting. IS ANYBODY STILL HERE?

2. Once your hoop is completely wrapped in suede cord, attach the stick to the hoop with twine.

3. Tie individual strands of twine (aprox 30 inches long) to the branch, about 1/2 inch apart from each other. I tied 17 strands of twine to my branch (you may need less if you use a smaller hoop). Do the same for the bottom half of the hoop.

4. Wrap the bottom of each strand around the stem of a feather and tie in a knot. I chose to trim my strands of twine into an inverted triangle shape (see below), but you can do whatever your heart desires! Be creative.

Hang the dream catcher near your bed, or your favorite napping place.

Enjoy blissful dreams for all of eternity.

xoxo