Ava's Room

I had hopes of having Ava's room completed before we went to China this past summer, but it didn't happen for a variety of reasons.  We had the furniture and curtains in place and a few things on the walls, but the main feature of the room, her Ladybug Tree, didn't get finished in time.  So over several weeks this past month, I worked on it.  I love how it turned out, and I love her room.  

The ladybug embroidered curtains where the inspiration for her room.  When I found them, I couldn't resist and knew that ladybugs would be her theme.  Ladybugs are also a sign of good luck/good fortune in China adoption.   I love the antique rocking chair that I found for her room last year...it's a little squeaky, but gorgeous!  I bought it before we were matched with her, and sat many times in that chair wondering about her!  The art work above her chair is so precious to me.  One is the pencil drawing our sweet friends the Hampton's had done for us as a welcome home gift, and the picture above it is a hand ink painting we bought in China.

love all the light this big window brings into her room

Across the room from her rocking chair and closet is her dresser.  Several special pictures grace these walls also!  The blank canvas was made by a fellow DTC 2012 friend, and the metal sign above her dresser is one of my favorites.  I also bought this before we knew who she was, and it is our hope that she grows up realizing that she is a "special treasure" spoken about in the verse.  It says "Of all people on the earth, the Lord your God has chosen you as his own special treasure."  Deut 7:6  Beside the dresser are several precious pictures taken of Ava last December while she was in the orphanage. They are gorgeous images of her in a hand knit hat and scarf.  So thankful for the ICC staff who took such good care of her and captured her in a variety of pictures.

I found the main feature of her room, the Ladybug Tree, on the internet, and a local friend offered to make it for me into a decal.  We had a few issues with digitizing and the trunk was a little short.  At one point, I had actually considered hand drawing it on to the wall but instead cut out the whole tree (wow that took some time) and then traced it onto the wall.  Then I hand painted it.  It turned out sooo cute and is so whimsical!  I love it!!!!  It took me a few weeks to finish painting it because I could only work on it for little bit at a time due to having a little one who needs a lot of supervision!

Lastly, I bought a vinyl wall decal of her name, but wanted to have something representing our journey to becoming a family.  I found these adorable black frames at Hobby Lobby, and then decided to make maps and dates representing when we became a family and when we were home.

So honored, blessed and humbled to be her mom.  It was fun to put her room together, and it is beyond amazing that she is now home and we can be in this room together!