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Life on Red Oak

A lifestyle blog by Kelly Daniel

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Meaningful Gifting | Lettered Vows

February 11, 2021

Turning ones vows into prints and displaying them have been a recent trend that I, for one, absolutely love. It allows the words to become an active part in your new life together and not just another item from your ceremony that gets packed away in a box for 20 years. | www.lifeonredoak.com

Valentine’s Day isn’t a favorite holiday for everyone…hell, we don’t even officially celebrate it. Instead, we always make it an intentional part of our every day to think of one another and gift as we feel inspired. By doing so it not only just becomes a rhythm to love one another each day, but it takes the pressure off when holidays like Valentine’s pops up.

With that in mind, and knowing this time of year is when everyone has gifting on their minds, the lettering shop is stocked with a variety of ways you can love on your loved ones in a way that’s meaningful.

One such way is having your wedding vows handlettered as a print for you to display in your home!

Handlettered Vows

Turning ones vows into prints and displaying them have been a recent trend that I, for one, absolutely love. It allows the words to become an active part in your new life together and not just another item from your ceremony that gets packed away in a box for 20 years. | www.lifeonredoak.com

Your vows are promises made to your partner – not ensuring perfection, but recognizing the work-in-progress you both are and choosing each other despite the circumstances that may arise. These vows are sacred within any marriage and deserve to be on display as daily reminders of those promises.

Turning ones vows into prints and displaying them have been a recent trend that I, for one, absolutely love. It allows the words to become an active part in your new life together and not just another item from your ceremony that gets packed away in a box for 20 years.

How to Order

Ordering your wedding vow prints are so easy!

Simply head on over to the listing to take peek at what you’ll receive and choose between a physical print, which will be mailed to you, or a digital print that will be formatted into a PDF for instant download. Both are formatted for traditional sized paper, but of course if you need a larger size we can discuss prior to you placing your order.

You may also choose between:

  • 1 print (if your vows are the same)
  • set of 2 (typically for you and your spouse if your vows differ)
Turning ones vows into prints and displaying them have been a recent trend that I, for one, absolutely love. It allows the words to become an active part in your new life together and not just another item from your ceremony that gets packed away in a box for 20 years. | www.lifeonredoak.com
Shop Handlettered Wedding Vows

Want a more instant way to display your vows?

Wedding Vow Printable (editable!)

I also have this editable print version where you can add your own custom text directly in the PDF and print! Simply download the template and open in any PDF reader (I recommend Adobe), add your vows and wedding details, print, and display!

Turning ones vows into prints and displaying them have been a recent trend that I, for one, absolutely love. It allows the words to become an active part in your new life together and not just another item from your ceremony that gets packed away in a box for 20 years. | www.lifeonredoak.com
Wedding Vow Printable
Turning ones vows into prints and displaying them have been a recent trend that I, for one, absolutely love. It allows the words to become an active part in your new life together and not just another item from your ceremony that gets packed away in a box for 20 years. | www.lifeonredoak.com

A Simple Swap for our Nursery Changing Table

January 30, 2021

Swapping out those knobs of any nursery dresser is an easy way to breathe new life into your furniture. See how we did it and how it easy it can be for you too! | www.lifeonredoak.com

Affiliate links are used within this post. You can read my full disclosure here.

This weekend had me with a need to get out of the house and keep busy while waiting for Olivia to decide she’s ready to get this show on the road. I’ve been looking for ways to keep active, walk around, and hopefully get her to continue dropping. So, after dropping off Greyson at school I thought to make a trip to TJ Maxx and Home Goods to wander around and have some me time.

I was impressed with their baby section at TJs and scored a couple of cute outfits for Olivia – then made my way over to Home Goods to browse for her nursery. It had been a minute since I had been to one so I was happy to just wander up and down the aisles to see what all they had (which was a lot of cute stuff!). On a random end-cap I noticed a selection of knobs and were immediately drawn to these marble and gold accent ones. I thought they would be perfect for the dresser we just scored and for $7, why not?

So, when I got home I went to work swapping out the knobs and was so happy with how well they turned out!

Before

Swapping out those knobs of any nursery dresser is an easy way to breathe new life into your furniture. See how we did it and how it easy it can be for you too! | www.lifeonredoak.com

Last week my neighborhood FB group put up a thread where residents can list things they’re selling. One of my neighbors was looking to sell her daughter’s old bedroom furniture and I noticed this changing table/dresser combo and had to snag it for Olivia’s nursery. I had been in the market for a dresser, but even Ikea would run me $175-$200+. I’m just not in the place right now to be spending that kind of money, so when I saw this dresser pop up I had to inquire about it. For $40 we were able to bring it home and I couldn’t be happier.

Much like anything that’s second-hand, and especially lived in, you’re going to have little things like scuff marks or minor stains. That’s to be expected. Overall the dresser is in great condition, but I wanted to make it a little more personalized for Olivia. One way to do that is to swap out these original white (boring) knobs for new and exciting ones!

After

Swapping out those knobs of any nursery dresser is an easy way to breathe new life into your furniture. See how we did it and how it easy it can be for you too! | www.lifeonredoak.com
Swapping out those knobs of any nursery dresser is an easy way to breathe new life into your furniture. See how we did it and how it easy it can be for you too! | www.lifeonredoak.com

I couldn’t be more in love with these marble and gold knobs for her nursery dresser! The quality is great and installing them was a breeze (they came in a set of 6, which was the exact number I needed). I love how something so simple gives so much new life to this dresser – and feels more like us.

Shop Dresser Knobs

Replacing and swapping out those original knobs to any dresser is an easy and affordable way to breathe new life into your furniture – and make it reflect your personal style. Here are a few of my favorite knob finds to help inspire you!

Swapping out those knobs of any nursery dresser is an easy way to breathe new life into your furniture. See how we did it and how it easy it can be for you too! | www.lifeonredoak.com
  1. Gold Bows | Crate & Kids
  2. Brass Geometric Gold (set of 2) | World Market
  3. Vintage Mother of Pearl (set of 2) | Anthropology
  4. Leather Pulls | Etsy @KeyWayHardware
  5. Quartz Stone | Etsy @DecorfunHardware
  6. Chambal Knobs (set of 12) | Wayfair
Swapping out those knobs of any nursery dresser is an easy way to breathe new life into your furniture. See how we did it and how it easy it can be for you too! | www.lifeonredoak.com

Red Oak Home Tour | Living Room

November 27, 2020

This post is not sponsored – just me sharing my love of home design and the pieces that help make our house a home.

It feels so good to finally be able to check a living space off my to-decorate list as we’ve settled into our new house. It’s been a little more than a week since we first unloaded our boxes and slowly has furniture arrived, been assembled, and arranged. I personally work room by room and this week my focus has been our living room.

Our living room is designed as an intentional gathering space for us as family but also as a space to entertain guests (should we ever be able to have people over…thanks, Covid). I wanted it to feel welcoming and cozy, especially as we head into the Christmas holiday, but keep to our minimalistic aesthetic.

I pinned a number of inspirations for our living room and it was exciting to bring them slowly to life. I had a number of photographs printed via Shutterfly and all I need now are new frames (…in time, I suppose). Even though it comes down to little enhancements like framed photos, I’m so happy to finally share our living room with all of you!

Where to shop these pieces

I’ve had such a lovely response when I first began sharing some of these photos on Instagram and everyone was eager to know where I got them from. I have found 99% of our home’s furniture on Wayfair or their family of brands (i.e. Birch Lane, Joss & Main, etc.) I’ve included direct links to each piece to make it easy to find – although some pieces may be out of stock. No worries, though. Simply add you address to be notified when they’ll have it in stock. I personally have found they restock within a few weeks.

1. Bernardston TV Stand
This was our final piece for our living room and it just brings the whole room together. I love the look of the wood as it is very similar to our coffee table (see link below). The black metal hardware and glass doors bring some texture to the space. I love the hidden storage and the size is perfect for our wall. I do plan to mount our TV eventually, but in the meantime this has been a great way to organize our TV area.

2. Youati Oriental Ivory Area Rug (10×14)
Having dark laminate wood flooring I knew I wanted an area rug that was large, comfortable, and bring warmth to the space. I was a little hesitant to go with an ivory color simply because, well, kids…but when I unrolled it I was so happy I went in this direction.

3. Ermont Console Table
I originally purchased this table for our entryway. It’s narrow and fit, but I just wasn’t in love with the placement (perhaps something more narrow and longer). So, I moved it into the living room under our circle accent mirror (found here) and have since found it to be a great way to hang our stockings and other Christmas decor.

4. Cranmore Trestle Coffee Table
I did notice that recently this coffee table is out of stock, but if you didn’t want to wait a very similar table can be found here. This coffee table has become one of my favorite aspects to our living room. It’s larger than a traditional coffee table and is square – offering more space and is the perfect spot these days for Greyson to play with his Legos.

5. Abaca Tree Collar
Last, but not least, is this tree collar from Crate & Barrel. I started noticing this type of tree collar becoming quite trendy among catalogs like Pottery Barn and the like, so of course I had to grab one myself. I love the texture it brings and hides the plastic base of our fake Christmas tree. I love how something so simple can bring so much sophistication – needless to say, I’m okay with ditching the tree skirt this year!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek into our home and stay tuned for more home tours as I work my way through each space.

Pinspirations

Knowing it’ll take about a year or so to get everything organized and decorated in our home just the way I want, I’ve continued to pin a number of inspirations. Here are a few that will complete our living room!

I love a good gallery wall and these black frames are the perfect size for each room – from living to dining and upstairs.

In our living room, as well as other rooms all over the house, we’re in need of blinds to help cut down on the direct sunlight the back of our house gets all day long. I love the look of these roman shades and would love to install something similar in both our living and bedroom.

Welcome to our new home! Take a peek inside our living room and find where I scored these amazing pieces that brought my pinspirations to life. | www.lifeonredoak.com

Friday Favorites | nov 20

November 20, 2020

We’re officially all moved in!

Yes, it’s been a tiresome week, but we’re mostly all out of the boxes and new furniture has been assembled. There’s just a few more things coming like our tv console table, a new area rug for our living room, and hopefully a new television for the living room as well (thank you, Black Friday deals).

Today I’m linking up with Andrea for her weekly Friday Favorites series. A lot of what I’m loving this week has to do with our home, so if that’s your thing keep reading! You’ll be able to catch a little sneak peek into our new house and how I’m progressing with the decorating.

Wayfair, Wayfair, Wayfair

I have been so impressed with the selection of furniture I’ve been able to find for our house. Most of our house it seems has been furnished by this little site, but I couldn’t be happier. Each piece has arrived on time, has been easy to build, and is bringing my design inspirations to live. Much of the big pieces I found were on sale during their Way-Day promotion back in September. These items were:

  • L-shaped office desk for the husband’s new home office
  • Bar stools for the kitchen now that we have an island
  • A large coffee table for our living room
  • A new dog bed for our Murphy as a welcome home gift (although he still chooses the sunny spot on our sofa)
  • Circle accent mirrors
  • A low-profile bed frame with upholstered headboard
  • Nightstands for the bedroom
  • and new lamps for the bedroom

Since moving in on Monday, and seeing in person what space I had to work with, I went ahead and made a few extra purchases now that we’re in the Black Friday pre-sale days. Again at Wayfair I found this console table, area rug, and purchased this tv stand to round out our living room.

One piece that I ordered during the Way-Day sale but is backordered until the end of December is this sectional sofa that will go in the kids playroom. This playroom is at the top of our stairs and is a wonderful space for Greyson (and eventually baby-to-be Olivia) to have all of his toys, games, and a space to play when is cousin or friends from school come over. I’ve never ordered a sofa from Wayfair before, so we’ll see how it works out when it arrives!

Virtual Schooling

I never thought I would say that out loud, but being able to log in to Zoom classes with his old teacher has been a great way to bring some normalcy to our move. We haven’t been terribly consistent (there’s a 2 hour time difference from CA), but I love having the option and his teachers are always so excited to see him. I held onto a number of things like his whiteboard, play-doh, and other things which allows him to participate a little bit.

Decking the Halls

I’m so grateful for every order that comes through my lettering shop (you can find that here!) – especially since our move. Every little bit helps in our transition as expenses pop up here and there – especially now that I’m officially back to being a SAHM. Plus, there’s nothing better than making these clay ornaments and lettering gift bags for you guys!

  • don’t forget: free shipping all November on every gift bag order
  • new ornaments hit the shop this season: acrylic and clay (as well as our popular wooden ornaments)
  • join our mailing list and receive an instant 10% off coupon to use at Red Oak Lettering!

With Thanksgiving just a week away, I just want to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday. I know it’s been a weird year and hopefully this Covid stuff will soon sort itself out so we can all return to some type of normalcy.

In the meantime, take care of yourselves and be sure to check back here in just a few days as I launch a brand new blogging challenge for the month of December!

Coming Soon!

December Writing Challenge

I am so excited to share all about this new blogging challenge for next month! I am also excited to see all of you join in with me – especially if you’re looking for new content for your blogs and want to increase your traffic. I’ll have more details coming soon, so be sure to join the mailing list here or follow me on the socials to see what the daily prompts are and link up your posts!

Facebook | Instagram | Mailing List

It’s going to be a lot of fun and a great way to connect during the holidays! I look forward to meeting you all and reading all of your posts!

Have a wonderful weekend!

In Our New Home: Kitchen Inspirations

November 13, 2020

Our move to our first home is finally upon us and I couldn’t be more excited to open the doors for the first time. The anticipation of having my husband, dog, and son run through the house, checking out each room, is so real. There’s something special about owning your first home – especially during an economic climate like ours in 2020 – and checking a mental adulting box that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do. I recognize how blessed we are, in so many ways, but owning our very own home takes the top spot on that list.

Leading up to this moment has been a lot of thought put into how I’d make our new house feel like our home. Pinterest has been my best friend as I cultivate an aesthetic that fits our growing family and I’m very thankful to all of those home furnishing companies out there who have had aaamazing sales and in the process has taken all of my money.

The goal for our kitchen and dining room is to be a space for gathering and entertaining. I love how open the kitchen is to the dining and living room, making it a wonderful place to have friends and family over and easily move throughout.

Now that my son and I are officially in Texas (the hubs is packing up and driving the truck) and we’re just days away from settling in, I thought to share my inspirations and purchases for our new home – most specifically our kitchen.

  1. Espresso Machine
    One of the big purchases we just made (thanks Pre-Black Friday deals!) that wasn’t furniture was this Breville Barista Express espresso machine from Williams-Sonoma. Where it’s normally priced at over $1,000 it’s now on sale for almost half that – at $599! I’ve always wanted to invest in a proper coffee/espresso machine since it’s a staple in our home year-round. Better yet, through Affirm you can pay in installments with 0% APR.
  2. Bar Stools
    Our new kitchen comes with an island, which will be perfect for food prep and give Greyson (and soon-to-be Olivia) a place to have snacks, sit, do work, etc. There’s enough room on the end of the island for bar stools and I found these at Wayfair during their Way-Day Sale. It’s a set of 2, which is perfect, and I love that it comes highly reviewed and the seat back will be great for use with kids (we love those strap-on high chairs).
  3. Pantry Organization
    You guys, we’ll officially have a pantry in our house! Having been apartment living for so long I can’t wait to have a space dedicated to those pantry items we always stock up on!

    I just love the way this pantry is organized from the neutral accents from the weaved storage bins to the clear food storage containers. Another item I can’t wait to make are these minimalist pantry labels. The have such a classic look and help keep the pantry functioning in top order.
  4. Wooden Table + Black Chairs
    Another set of great finds from Joss & Main (Wayfair sister-brand) have been our wooden dining table (out of stock, but check out this similar table) and these set of black chairs. The chairs come in a set of 2 and the black is perfect.
  5. Tableware
    We’ve been using the same mix of dinnerware for ages and with our new home and new kitchen comes new tableware pieces. I’ve always loved the classic look of Crate & Barrel and found myself ordering a few new pieces for our kitchen:
    • Set of 8 Essentials Dinner Plates
    • Essential Coffee Mugs
    • Essential Coupe Bowl
    • Tour White Wine Glasses
    • Tour Red Wine Glasses
    • Tour Champagne Glasses
    • Peak High Ball Glasses (for the husband)

C&B has a wide variety of dinnerware and tableware options to choose from and will always be my go-to place for affordable, but quality, items – especially for the kitchen.

Another favorite of mine are these Natural Rattan chargers for the holiday table setting!

A house into a home

The holidays will soon be upon us and thankfully I’ve been able to pull some things together in the meantime as we begin to unpack and get settled. I know it’ll take us some time before our home gets to the place where it truly feels ours, but this is a wonderful beginning step.

Do you have any advice for this first time homeowner? What could I expect within the first year? What has been your experiences?
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Hi there and welcome to Red Oak! I'm a Virginia native making a life in Texas and answer the call to wife, mama, teacher, and small business owner.

My hope for this space is to inspire a life cultivated by simple living and the enjoyment of the little moments.

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@kelly.jean.daniel

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