IKEA Closet System

Thursday, April 30, 2020




I am SO excited to share with you guys all the details from the nursery closet! 

To start, I designed the closet online through the IKEA Pax Planner. You start by putting in your specific closet measurements and you take it from there! Everyones closet is different so to help you get an understanding of how we did it, I am going to include my measurements and everything that we used. IKEA makes it extremely easy on the Pax Planner and will only let you design/select items that will fit into your space. Awesome right? Side note, I don't have an IKEA in El Paso so this can 100% be done without living near one! IKEA once again makes it easy to order everything online and you get it delivered right to your door!

Included in this blog post: measurements of the closet, what we ordered from IKEA (including the measurements), step by step instructions, photo of our plan on the Pax Planner with an after photo of what it looked like after installation! If you have any questions don't hesitate to comment or message me on Instagram @chapel.hill.farmhouse 


Closet measurements:
Length: 83"
Height of Doorway: 81 1/2"
Depth: 23 1/4"

What we purchased:
-1 PAX wardrobe frame: 39 3/8x22 7/8x79 1/8 " / 100x58x201 cm
-2 PAX wardrobe frames: 19 5/8x22 7/8x79 1/8 " / 50x58x201 cm
-2 Komplement clothes rails: 19 5/8 " / 50 cm
-2 Komplement clothes rails: 39 3/8 " / 100 cm
-8 Komplement shelfs: 19 5/8x22 7/8 " / 50x58 cm
-5 Komplement drawers: 19 5/8x22 7/8 " / 50x58 cm
*IKEA offers a friends and family discount so sign up for that! And be on the lookout for sales because the Pax systems do go on sale!

Step 1: Gut the old closet & make a plan for your lighting source if you're wanting to put one in
-First thing we did was take out the old closet built-ins and base boards with just a hammer and some good ole fashioned American Beef fed muscles (my husband thinks he's funny)
-Once they were out, we were able to get started on making a new outlet inside the closet 
-We were fortunate that there was a outlet on the other side of the wall outside of the closet
-We cut an access hole, ran electrical wire from the new hole to the existing outlet and used that to run power to the new outlet inside the closet and plug the lights into it using an extension cord and a bluetooth outlet adapter. This would enable to use the provided bluetooth remote to turn the lights on and off. 

Step 2: Build
-We started building the closet inserts, saving the middle insert for last so that they would all fit in. 
-We ran the power cord for the lights over the top of the inserts, using the pre fabricated access holes to run the cord for the lights into and secured them with small screws. 
-When all of the inserts were in and centered, we wanted to make a valence to hide the light bars. 
-This was done simply by putting a piece of MDF in the space between the wall of the doorway and the top of the closet inserts and securing it with screws on either side. 
-Then we built and installed the shelves, hanger rods, and drawers into the positions we wanted based off of the plan from the Pax Planner

Step 3: Change the doors (if you want!)
-We wanted to change the doors from the builder grade sliding doors to folding so that we had access to the whole closet. 
-We had to buy doors that were larger than the doorway because there were not any available to our doorway dimensions.
-We were able to strip an inch off of the edges of each door in order to make it fit (using a table saw)
-After they were cut, we installed the door rail and the floor plates. 
-The installation of the actual doors took a lot of trial and error in making the doors the right distance away from the wall/floor/ceiling and balanced on the pins so that they folded evenly.

Before & After


Head over to Instagram if you want to see time lapses of the process! They are included on my most recent post!


XOXO, Nico & Ashley Lynn Smith 

Nursery Trim Wall

Monday, April 27, 2020



We are in love with how our trim wall turned out in the nursery! It's definitely not a job for a beginner  (Nico says it's a 6/10 on the difficulty scale) but if you are interested in doing the same thing to your room, here are the step by step instructions! This blog post was written by my husband and I hope it helps you! If you have any questions you can message me on Instagram @chapel.hill.farmhouse or comment below!

Tools used: 
-Tape Measurer
-Level
-Miter saw (or circular saw)
-Nail gun
-Caulk
-Caulk gun
-Caulk edge tool
-Hammer
-Hole filler
-Wet rag

Step 1: Measure your wall & decide how many boxes you want
-Height: 105.125
-Width: 130.75
-We chose to do 5 total boxes 

Step 2: Make the cuts

-Vertical trim: 10 pieces to make 5 boxes

  • We left these pieces at the original length which was 8ft and cut the ends to 45 degrees and centered it
  • The total height of the wall is 105.125 inches and the total length of each piece was 97.25 inches. So I subtracted the two and got 7.875 inches, divided by 2 and got 3.9375 which is equivalent to 3 15/16 inches. This would be the distance between the trim and box, and the ceiling and the box
  • 105.125 - 97.25= 7.875/2= 3.9375= 3 15/16

-Horizontal trim: also 10 pieces to make 5 boxes

  • We knew that we wanted 2 inches in between the boxes, so I multiplied the number of spaces in between the boxes (6), by 2 inches. I then subtracted that from the total width of the wall 130.75, which gave me the total width of trim. I then divided that number by 5, which is how many boxes we have, to get the width of each individual box.
  • 130.75- 2(6)= 118.75/5= 23.75 in= 23 3/4 
  • I then cut the 10 pieces of trim to the desired length and then cut the ends to 45 degrees so that they matched up with the horizontal pieces. 
  • I also cut a small block to 2 inches (the space in between the boxes) and another to 3 15/16 inches (the space between the box and the floor/ceiling to aid me in centering each box. 

Step 3: Nail pieces to the wall

  • The first box is the trickiest! Trying to get it centered right is most important because the rest of the boxes are based off it it.
  • I started on the far right and made a complete box, using a level and the blank pieces to make sure that the box was level and centered. 
  • I started on the bottom piece first, and then the right side based off the wall. 
  • Using a nail gun, I secured the bottom to the wall. 
  • Once starting on the right vertical piece, I first made sure the bottom was level, nailed it, then went up the trim, making sure it was level every quarter of the way up and putting a nail in. 
  • I then did the top piece, and the left side in the same manner. 
  • Once the first box was complete, I then nailed the bottom of every subsequent box to ensure proper spacing. I made a mistake with my initial measurements and had to redo the horizontal cuts, but once that was done, I was able to properly space each piece. 
  • I then followed the same steps for the rest of the boxes. The only box that was different was the middle wall, which had an outlet plug that cut in between the left side of the middle box. For that, I measured from the bottom of the box to the bottom of the outlet, 4 1/4 in, and from the top of the box, to the top of the outlet, 88 1/2. I cut a length of trim to match each measurement and finished the box.

Step 4: Caulk & touch up paint

  • I used DAP white paintable caulk. 
  • I started by caulking the lower corners to fill in the gaps between the pieces, and then on the inner and outer edges, wiping away excess with the edge tool and wet rag as we went. 
  • I also used hole filler to cover the nail holes. 
  • Once everything was dry, I painted over the caulk, filled holes, and any other blemishes that were made in the process.

I know that was SUPER detailed so please don't hesitate to message me or comment if you have any questions! Enjoy the DIY!

XOXO, Nico & Ashley Lynn Smith

20 week nursery update!



Welcome back to my blog! It's been a long time since I've posted on here! For starters, I wanted to say THANK YOU for sticking around! I want to individually hug each and every one of you that comes across my Instagram or blog. Your support means so much to me!

Today is all about my nursery and I am SO excited! I have dreamed of creating a nursery for a little one for as long as I can remember so this is a dream come true! I am linking everything that we have so far and I'll write updated posts as we go along. We are 20 weeks along (HALFWAY THERE) so there is still plenty to do! If you have any questions feel free to DM on Instagram @chapel.hill.farmhouse




Bedding
*SPRING25 for 25% off*


*SPRING25 for 25% off*




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IKEA HEMNES 8-drawer dresser


* This is the chair that I have but it says its not sold online so I'm linking all of their chairs here! They custom make it to your liking! When all the stores open back up and you're able to go into one, they will have some already made that you can buy! *



Amazon purchases

There is still lots to do so I will update you guys on whats new in here! But this is what we have so far and I can honestly say I am IN LOVE! Stay tuned for updates!

XOXO, Ashley Lynn Smith

Shop Small for Christmas

Monday, December 9, 2019


Happy Monday! I hope everyone had an amazing weekend! Since it's the holiday season, small shops have been on my mind a lot! Looking back on my Christmas shopping I wish I bought all my gifts from a small shop. I follow a lot of them on Instagram and I love seeing their businesses expanding. It makes me SO happy to watch their stories and hear them talk about how their business brings them so much joy and when someone places an order it means the world to them. How sweet is that? I want to highlight some of my favorite small shops and it's my hope that will you start supporting them too! In the world we live in, supporting them doesn't even mean buying their products! At the bottom of this post I'm going to list ways you can support a small shop without even having to purchase something!

1. Camellia Co - Custom necklaces
This shop is owned by Lexie Murphy and when I say she is one of the sweetest humans, I'm not exaggerating. I posted a photo of her necklaces on my story for small shop saturday and instead of just saying thank you for sharing she offered to send me a necklace! Like what?! This made me so happy and I now have one of the most meaningful necklaces I've ever owned. She plans to open up the shops website in the new year but until then you can just message her on Instagram to order!

2. Shop Free To Be - Custom tees, handmade jewelry, affordable clothing
This shop is special to me because it's owned by an old friend of mine, Maddie Whitten. I am SO proud of where her shop has come! Her shop has custom tees, handmade jewelry, and affordable clothing. I just supported her shop last week by ordering one of her custom crew neck sweatshirts (A&M of course) and I couldn't be more excited! Maddie is amazing and I love watching her business succeed! If you cant support her shop by purchasing a product you can always just follow her Instagram and that would make her just as happy!

3. Michalke Made - Handmade leather accessories
This shop is owned by Kansas who is one of the greatest people I've ever come across on Instagram. Her and her husband started a leather business where they repurpose Louis Vuittion leather into all different kinds of accessories and wow, so gorgeous. I've been following them since the beginning of this business and it has taken OFF. I am so happy for them and love watching all their hard work pay off! They are wholesale only but are now at a TON of retailers. I'm linking two of the retailers but you can google Michalke Made and you can find all different boutiques that you can buy their products at! Harper and Leigh and Yaya Club Clothing

4. Every Little Thing - Custom wood signs
If you've been following me for a while you already know about this shop! This shop is owned by the first friend I ever met here in El Paso and my goodness I am so grateful for her. The shop is closed right now so she can enjoy the holidays with her family but whenever it opens back up you have to get some signs from her! I have multiple pieces of hers around my house and I love looking at them. My favorite ones are the coordinate signs that I have in my office for Dallas and El Paso! You can follow her on Instagram and be the first to know when the shop opens back up!

5. Kanda Candles - Soy Candles
I don't know how in the world I still don't own any candles from this shop but all of my Instagram friends RAVE about these! Kelli is the shop owner and she is a candle genius! I see how much my friends like Morgan from the Olive Branch Cottage love these so they must smell amazing right?! They are super affordable and the names of the scents are enough to make you want to buy all of them. Like Apple Strudle? Fire and Cider? Give me all of them!

6. Casa Benedetta - Apparel, accessories, home decor
This is another special shop because it's owned by a hometown and now home decor Instagram friend, Andrea! You can find SO much on this shop because it has everything you could need for a gift. If you're local to Mckinney, TX you can even go visit the shop in person at Mckinney Square! I love knowing people that have small businesses because I know how hard they work and it makes their success even more sweet. Follow Casa Benedetta on Instagram!

7. Rachel Allene - Apparel, coffee mugs, and more
I've been following Rachel on Instagram for a while and I have always loved her shop. Her shop has SO many products that are amazing from coffee mugs, to sweatshirts, to calligraphy prints. It's literally a shop where if you have no idea what you're looking for, you'll find something and I love that. I feel like I've gotten to know her from her posts and stories on Instagram and she is so incredibly sweet with the cutest little family! When you support her shop you're not only supporting her, you are supporting her husband and her son. Thats amazing isn't it?

8. Barnwood Designed - Hand painted home portraits
If you are ever in need of the most special gift you could ever think of for a friend who just bought a house (or even someone who is living in their first home, just got married, or honestly just because),  this is the best gift idea! Olivia hand paints peoples homes and they are BEAUTIFUL. I need one for my house! She even hand paints dog portraits!! Takes pure talent and she definitely has it! Just go take a look at her Instagram page and you'll be blown away by this girls work!

9. Gently Bound - Painted bibles, journal, apparel
Britt is so incredibly talented. She creates beautiful bibles  hand painted bibles and every time she launches a new product I wish I didn't budget and could buy every single one. My favorite part about following her is watching her stories on product launch days and watching her sell out of every single item she launched. You can just hear the happiness in her voice and it makes me so happy for her! Follow her on Instagram so you can see all the greatness I see!

Even since I moved into my first house I have been obsessed with wreaths. They are gorgeous and make your front door (or where ever you choose to put it) look great! The wreaths created by Tiffany's Wreath Co are absolutely stunning. You can tell how much work she puts into these! She's coming out with a new collection in January and I cannot WAIT to see. Head over to Instagram and follow her so you can see the collection when it launches!

How can you support a small shop without even purchasing a product? (on Instagram) 
1. Follow them 
2. Like their photos 
3. Comment on their photos & tag friends that would like their products
4. Share their photos on your stories 
5. Swipe up on links if they have them in their stories
6. Send them a message of encouragement

XOXO, Ashley Lynn Smith

Taco Soup & Slider Recipe

Saturday, December 7, 2019


Taco Soup Recipe 

Ingredients:
-2.5 lbs chicken breast 
-3/4 box of chicken broth 
-1 can corn 
-1 can black beans 
-1 can white beans 
-1 large can green chili’s
-1/2 jar of salsa of choice
-Half chopped yellow onion
-2 taco seasoning packets 
-1 ranch packet 
-1 tbsp onion flakes
-1 tbsp garlic powder 
-1 tbsp red pepper flakes
-1 tbsp cayenne pepper 

Instructions: 
-Combine all ingredients into a crock pot 
-Drain the juice from the beans but use the juice for all other canned ingredients 
-Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours (if you get thin sliced chicken breast like I did it will only take 3 hours on low)
-Check on the chicken frequently and once the chicken is completely cooked take it out, shred it, then put it back in the crock pot 
-Ready to serve! 


Slider Recipe 

Ingredients:
-Hawaiian rolls 
-Lunch meat of choice (I used half turkey and half ham)
-Cheese of choice (I used half provolone and half swiss)
-Honey mustard 
-Mayonnaise 
-Butter 
-Worcestershire 
-Minced garlic 
-Poppy seeds 

Instructions:
-Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half 
-Spread honey mustard on one side and mayonnaise on the other side 
-Place one layer of cheese then 2-3 layers of lunch meat 
-Put the top of the rolls back on 
-Melt together the butter, Worcestershire, and minced garlic over the top (there no specific measurement, just use how ever much better, worcestershire and garlic that you would like)
-Top it off with poppy seeds 
-cover with foil 
-Bake in oven for 10 minutes on 350 degrees 
-Take off the foil and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes  
-Ready to serve!

These recipes are SO good and are great to keep in the fridge for the whole week! I made both of these on Monday and it's saturday now and I still have some of each! If you make these let me know how you liked it in the comments or tag me on Instagram! Love you guys!

XOXO, Ashley Smith Smith 

My Book Recommendations


Hey friends! A lot of you guys have been asking me for book recommendations and if you're into mystery/thriller books you definitely asked the right person! I am now on GoodReads so if you have an account follow me on there! Disclaimer: I have no idea how to do that but hopefully y'all do!! Here are my top 7 book recommendations right now! 

1. Verity, Colleen Hoover (My #1 Favorite!)

2. The Couple Next Door,  Shari Lapena 

3. The Silent Sister, Diane Chamberlain

4. A Stranger in the House, Shari Lapena

5. Behind Closed Doors, B.A. Paris 

6. The Break Down, B. A. Paris

7. Someone We Know, Shari Lapena

I'm currently reading Bring Me Back, B.A. Paris and then after that I plan to read Date Night, Samantha Hayes! I'm a sucker for a great thriller so if you have any recommendations please leave them in the comments! And if you read any of these tell me what you think! 

XOXO, Ashley Lynn Smith 

Holiday Gift Guide For Him

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