Crab Nursery and Guestroom

From nurspiration here and revisited here to reality, I wanted to finally share the finished product of our crab-themed gender neutral combination nursery and guestroom (say that three times fast) that our little one now calls home. 

With the limited space we were working with, we combined the changing table with the dresser and added a DIY paper lantern mobile to give the baby something to look at while he or she was getting changed.

Henry now points at the lanterns and class them balloons

With little room for a crib and double bed, we got creative and turned the existing closet into a nook for the crib with bins on the shelf for extra storage.  I then prettied it up (sorry, son) with a DIY fabric banner.

The double bed was left in the room for when we had guests, with some new linens to match the updated color scheme.

Of course a little patriotism was inserted with a DIY Flag collage

And I included some shout outs to NC so any child of mine would know a little something about the place Mommy calls home.

An insert from Our State magazine turned into a canvas with some Modge Podge

Framed pictures of Chapel Hill from an old UNC Alumni Calendar 

Pretty close to the original inspiration right?

Crab Themed Nursery and Guest Room by tarheelcharm 

Sources:

Jenny Lind Crib //  Crib Linens  // Changing Pad Cover 

Dresser // Bed Linens - Home Goods

Coral Pillows - Target //  Crab Pillow

Paper Lantern Mobile, Flag Collage, Fabric Pennant Banner, NC Icons on Canvas: DIY

Linked up:

 It's Overflowing,  That DIY Party

The Best Thing I've Seen All Day

Mufasa knows what's up.

What is a Tar Heel?

I have noticed since moving away from the old North state, I get this question a lot, especially since I am found routinely cheering for and calling myself a Tar Heel.  Plus there are a lot of ignorant Maryland fans in these parts (I kid!...I mostly kid!).

When you grow up hearing the term Tar Heel practically from the womb, you don't really question it too much, rather you respect and adore it, nay identify yourself with it.  However if I take a step back and try really hard to imagine what it must be like hearing the term for the first time with no context, I suppose I can understand how it may seem odd.

So here it is...the answer to the question "What is a Tar Heel", from the University of North Carolina website:
 

Our nickname, which also applies to North Carolina citizens, has at least two possible origins. One story hails back to the Revolutionary War and the troops of British General Cornwallis. After fording a river in eastern North Carolina, the British troops discovered their feet covered with tar, a product of North Carolina’s abundant pine trees and one of the state’s most important exports at the time. Some say the clever North Carolinians dumped it in the river to slow down the invading army. The British were said to have observed that if you waded in North Carolina rivers, you would get tar on your heels.

I could have sworn I had heard another story, something about the North Carolina troops being so brave, they stood their ground as if their feet were stuck in tar.  I imagine (and often tell the story with) the opposing general exclaiming: "There must be tar in them there heels!" 

There you go, clear as tar, ahem mud, right?

See also:

I.e., me