Olive Monk and her Rainbow Bedroom

I know I've shared some pictures of items in Olive's room already and have had some requests to see the finished product. Today I finally got around to photographing her room (well after a long process of organizing and cleaning) and am excited to share it with you!

I decided to use the letters from her hospital room on her door since they received so many compliments. I quickly made the paper bows from a pinterest tutorial. The letters I cut freehand (thanks to my time as a preschool teacher for perfecting this skill). It was all done with cardstock I ordered from a teacher supply company.

Welcome to Olive's Room!

 A general shot of Olive's room. As you can see, Matt's family loves to read so her shelves that would be book and toy shelves will possibly be simply book shelves. That's perfectly fine with us, especially since her daddy loves to read to her! So many gifts are included in this shot including the beautiful reclaimed wood sign from my Aunt Zita to her colorful bear her Grammie gave her as well as a lot of fun stuff from other family and friends. Also, a beautiful personalized quilt made by the very talented Zohreh Daly!
The majority of her furniture comes from her Grammie and Nana, who love to buy everything Olive needs!

A view from the door.

Olive's crib with the wall hanging I made. I used various sizes of ribbon and used a scrapbooking heart punch and the afformentioned card stock. We weren't going to use a mobile, but since Olive loved the one on her crib in the hospital, we decided she needed one! Shown are a snuggle blanket from Carol Accardo of Blue Bear Embroidery and a minky/sofy blanket her Grammie found her.

Olive's crib.

 Olive's changing area. This shot also features an adorable bow hanger made by her Aunt Meagan and a wipe holder also made by Carol Accardo of Blue Bear Embroidery.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlueBearEmbroidery

Changing area complete with family pictures above!

A  closer look at the adorable quilt made by Zohreh Daly. http://www.zdalydesigns.com/

 

 One of my favorite areas is Olive's Dresser. The mirror is another gift from her Grammie. Each of the bows you see I made by trial and error. I'm pretty happy with they look! The headband hanger is actually a necklace hanger from Hobby Lobby. Her dino bank has been collecting change for her since the day she was born. She also has a picture of her cousin, my goddaughter, Katelee on her dresser and a picture from our wedding.

Girly with a side of dinosaur.

Olive's first tutu.

Fun rug I picked up around Valentine's Day at Target!

Daddy and Mommy's wedding day and her Dino Bank.

It began as just me wanting her to have a cute room, but the more we realized what a miracle she truly is, it became something so much more. I, along with her Nana and Grammie have had a lot of fun with her first room!

Floodwaters

Lately I have thought a lot about the ark, the dove and the Olive branch, for obvious reasons. Noah's ark is one of the most told bible stories and one of the first bible stories I can remember hearing. 

I felt God nudge us to name our little girl Olive. He told me the Olive branch was not only a sign of peace, but a sign of life and hope. That she would be a great sign of life and hope and a carrier of peace. I believe this is true. 

Specifically Genesis 8:11 speaks to me. 

"This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone." (Genesis 8:11 NLT)

 The act of bringing a single Olive leaf (or branch depending on the translation you read) brought not just HOPE but a solid knowledge to Noah that the floodwaters were almost gone. 

This is what I pray for Olive's life. That as she grows and gets older  she continues to bring more than Hope to others. I pray she brings a peace and understanding of the Father's heart that people run to Him. A knowledge of God and His reality. That not only is there hope, but there are solutions, there is an answer, and there are miracles. That she brings heaven to earth with acts as simple as her smile. 

I've heard the song below a few times, but yesterday I heard the words "flood waters" and I began to cry. Right now there are so many times I feel like we are in the middle of a flood. Like we can't keep our heads above water. And then we see Olive. 

"Flood Waters" by Josh Garrels 

Higher than the yonder mountain and deeper than the sea

From the breadth of the east unto the west

Is the love that started with a seed

Stronger than the wildest horses and the rising tide

The chords of death hung so heavy round our necks

Will be left at the great divide

Flood waters rise, but it wont wash away

Love never dies, it will hold on more fierce than graves

Farther than the pale moon rises upon the open plains

Past the time of the longest blood line

There shines an immortal flame

Somewhere in between forever and this passing day

There’s a place moth and rust cannot lay waste

This is grace, the face of love

Flood waters rise, but it wont wash away

Love never dies, it will hold on more fierce than grave