The Girls' Bedroom

Hi guys! Today I've got a real treat with my daughters' - Georgianna, 7 and Margot, 5.5- bedroom reveal!..I type that with a side smile because this particular room in the house has been revealed multiple times. And some of them are pert near freaky. I feel proud and embarrassed that I've come so far..and had so far to go.

These are higher quality photos than we're used to seeing on Must Have Moxie, but my photographer/assistant stylist and I are still trying to figure out camera settings and editing. You read that right- camera. Move over iPhone, there's a new picture taker in town. My dear Megan diversified her 'creative genius' portfolio to include photographer, along with interior designer... and artist...and bicycle mechanic... and speech pathologist.

It's always been tricky to communicate color through the screen in this room. I'm sorry for that, as the wall color is one of the loveliest I've found- Benjamin Moore's "Wild Rice"..not too pink, not too purple- as enchanting as fairy's wings.

I'm sure I've told you about my grandmother and her twin sister shooting archery in college..? This is my mom's mother, who died when mom was young, so I've got to wait until we're united in glory to ask: how were you so extraordinary, Grandma?!

We Toftnesses are most devoted rock collectors. Freshly back from a trip up the North Shore- where we sang The Doxology on the beach, skipped rocks until our arms hurt, and made sand castles along the river- we added to our stony numbers tenfold. (I will dedicate a post to that trip- Lake Superior brings a special feel to your soul.) The fuzziness in the frame beyond is the first page from a vintage copy of Boxcar Children. Before you shame me for ripping it out, let me say it was in shambles. Like yellowed scotch tape. Forgive? 

I racked my brain thinking of what color to paint the bed surrounds (there were painted stripes before), a friend suggested wallpaper overhead and wall color the rest. Duh. And this hand drawn wallpaper from KateZarembaCompany is the hallelujah chorus.

I mean c'mon. My girls are ballerinas, so channeling Swan Lake in their dreams is..dreamy.

Andrew solved the 'where do I get long enough/strong enough/pretty enough rod for curtains to span this entire wall?' question. Brass railing material is the exact look I wanted! The cost of the project was balanced by the Ikea curtains- they were even the right length! The curtains came in pairs (unheard of!), so three packs later, two beds + two closets are covered.

My thrifted pot and beloved Z plant with their friends Horse and Bell.

I had to spice up the classic army blanket with Jenny Komenda's poms!

Okay basically we collect nature.

And statues of liberty.

This little loveseat's cover was the drabbest tan ever, so I dyed it using many shades of Rit. I don't even know what I was going for, so this must be it. The window curtains are from West Elm. The little side table was $5 at a flea market, I just painted it green to refresh. 

Megan said photographing the floor was challenging. I think it looks great, but I'm sure she'd accept suggestions. I had mentioned this top rug in an earlier post on the subject of rugs. I got it while on the east coast at one of my favorite of all time flea markets. You guys. Stuff in New England is cool. All of it. The bottom of this dynamic duo is from Ikea, and it just helped fill the size/space gap..and I really like it. 

The vanity was an heirloom that had seen better days. The veneer was pealing and pulling away, so Anj filled, glued, and painted. The mirror was a $5 (my lucky number apparently) garage sale buy and could probably go for a good paint job too. Get in line, mirror. Storage ottoman from Target.

Cleopatra and G's 'My Generation' doll wear the same prescription lenses. Huh, what a deal.

Another fabric dyeing project from Jenny K.on these white linen pillow covers from Ikea- 'shibori'.

So yeah, there are little closets at the foot of both beds. When we bought our house there were two bedrooms upstairs- in classic old farmhouse style, you walked through one to get to the other. The sloped ceiling was walled off for (tricky access) storage. Andrew had the vision to put an honest to goodness hallway in (he also added a dormer to make room for a bathroom that I'll write about soon), which ends at Georgi and Margot's bedroom door. All of their clothing is held in the closets and drawers under their beds where the inconvenient storage situation was before. This frees up floor space for a loveseat and vanity/desk, and still have room to spread out every doll and pillow and book and stuffed thing and pajamas and toys from the basement and stray socks and contraband food item...etc.

I got this precious piece of art from Ruth Simons at Grace Laced Studio. You also see a picture of my mother in law in the Boundary Waters. That same Nana framed Georgi's name and verse (From Proverbs 31- 'She is dedicated and strong- a hard worker.') And from Parabo Press, a picture of the cowboy/girl biker gang we have in our neighborhood...and living in our house.

Margot, who loves cats, has a verse from Nana too.

Megan took these sweet pictures of the girls looking at Beatrix Potter and not arguing. Win win!

Goodnight room.

Goodnight babies sleeping in my old doll cradle.

There you have it! A huge thank you to my girl Megan who patiently photographed and arranged and tweaked and made magic. 

Goodnight world.

Life vs. Mountain Biking

Mountain biking here in our neck of the woods means hitting the world class single track through the old mining land of Cuyuna. The dirt is red iron ore, so a ride in the Cuyuna Recreation Area is referred to as "shredding the red." Bless. The deep lakes (made decades ago by mining iron ore) are clear as glass, surrounded by evergreens, making the water look like a magical fairy land. And naturally, moving the dirt formed great hills beside these plunges, creating a unique landscape. It's a fearsome thing to behold. (You can read more about the rich history and a community revived here.) Every time I'm in those woods feeling that rush of balance and speed and presence of mind, I can't help but think of the parallel between biking and life. Here:

• Come prepared with the proper gear for safety and survival. There are specifics for biking (helmet, padded shorts, water bottle, tools), and life (Jesus). But there's also the common necessity: a group of friends who know where you are and will encourage you, helping you back up when you crash (the crash is inevitable). 
• Remember the past/what you've passed, but DON'T LOOK BACK. Looking back can mean instant disaster for you and the friend following you. The friend in front of you will have to stop their own progress, back-track, all because you weren't attentive to the right thing. But don't feel bad! Your friends have messed up too. But hopefully you're all learning and leaning in.
• Look ahead- but NOT TOO FAR AHEAD. Have an idea of what lies farther up the path, but don't focus on it. Pay closest attention to the here and now.
• Learn from other riders/life-livers, but don't expect your bike/life to take the same bounce as the next person. Your own particular path won't be exactly the same as anyone else's, but that's fine! It's necessary, actually, and will make for the most interesting ride. 
• Train expectantly. Your training will help guide your thoughts and actions in a smooth, methodical way. Not to say there won't be unplanned difficulties, but if you expect the unexpected, you won't be surprised when it's tricky. Or when it's fun.
• Recognize and appreciate mercy. There will be danger, but there will also be piles of close calls that, in hind-site, have your guardian angel's finger prints all over. Be in awe of those moments. Grace is amazing.
• Be teachable. Hearing advice or correction with openness, humility, and discernment will grow your character- after all, God uses people to be his voice so often, it'd be a shame to form a critical response habit and miss solid tips on magnifying your adventure.
• Rest reverently. Even if you're on a mission to shred the red, stop at the top of Yawkee trail, look out over the water, reflect long enough to be awe-struck by our huge God. There are many moments in our daily living that we often miss because we're on a mission...to get more done, to read one more chapter, to watch one more episode. Rest is SO DIFFICULT for me. I am a doer. But I want to learn to be a rester too. Using rest to refocus is a way to sharpen our senses, make us grateful, and ultimately draw out reverence for our Savior, Creator of the Universe.

Happy Trails!