I Looked in the Playroom and What did I See?

"I looked out the window and what did I see?

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree

Spring has brought me such a nice surprise

Popcorn popping right before my eyes

I can take an armful and make a treat

A popcorn ball that would smell so sweet

It wasn't really so, but it seemed to be

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree"

If you don't know this song of my youth, there you go;)  I have always wanted a "popcorn tree" for the playroom because it's Lucy's all time favorite song and just the amount of whimsy that I love.  Growing up my mom let my brother do a few paintings on our walls to encourage his artistic talents.  There were some amazing and very freaky looking dragons as well as an awesome "Nerd's Surfer".  My mom also did an ABC mural in my room so now you know where my propensity for painting on my walls comes from.  

When I started this project I enlisted the help of a friend of mine, Chelsea Duerden, who is an amazing artist.  She drew out the draft for the tree for me to go off of.  I love it, she gave it so much character and movement.  Then I waited until my mom came up for a visit and conned her enlisted her help;).  Together we created what you see, though I think the joke was on me in the end as I noticed her lounging, watching "Project Runway" while I painted all the little kernels (hence the reason there aren't a ton of them;), foiled!  The Owl was an added piece of fun, I couldn't help myself! Of course the letters for June and Lucy (with plenty of room for additions;).

    

There are still some things that I need to get done in here, like filling and painting out our amazing Murphy bed.   I would like to do some chalkboard in the bottom two spaces, but that's a project for another day, it's good to procrastinate save myself projects like that sometimes.  

The Reading corner "under" the tree is the perfect spot for curling up with a book, taking a nap or wrestiling with your sister (the last was a unintentional side effect but I'll take it, at least it's padded;).  Some "pillow pets made by my husband's mom grace that area as well as an owl poof and of course no corner would be complete without the corner pillow.  

The girls love the playroom.  We've managed to fit a lot in there due to some space management with ikea spice rack book shelves, keeping the books flush and also presenting them to the kids so that they are more likely to pick one up and read.  We have the mounted tv that can swivel to face the reading corner for quiet times or fun movie parties with a friend or two.  The components are safely up in the top of the closet.  With the murphy bed we also have the potential for an even bigger movie party.  I had the bed mounted horizontally so that it could work as a sort of couch when pillows are placed at the back against the wall.  

We love it!