Nolan's Nursery Featured

It's a little silly, but a kinda exciting, too.  A few months back, someone from Wal-Mart contacted me asking if they could use a picture from Nolan's nursery on their website.  Each month, they do a feature post of rooms "created by moms like you"….each showing baby items/furniture that you can purchase from Wal-Mart.  We had purchased our swivel rocker from Wal-Mart, and love it.  You can find our swivel rocking chair here.  

And here's what it looks like.

You can visit http://www.walmart.com/cp/414099 to see it 'live' now.  It should be there until the end of the month.  :)

You can see my original nursery post here.

Nolan's Nursery: baby boy nursery

I finally finished Nolan's nursery about a month ago.   I know that sounds pitiful seeing as he is now 10 months old (was 9 months old when completed)….but I will say that the only thing that I had left to complete was the bumpers.  When something intimidates me…I find that I procrastinate.  Big time.  And this was no different.

For some reason I reeeeally wanted to sew everything for Nolan's nursery myself.  I think I might have saved a little bit of money….but in the end….was it worth it?  I don't know.  If I had it to do over again, maybe I'd just buy them.  I will say that Grace had the stomach bug right about the time I finished these….and the thought of Nolan throwing up all over them made me rethink the amount of time spent on said crib bumpers.

But they are done!

When I first started planning for the nursery….I knew I wanted to use gray and navy, but definitely wanted to have a couple accent colors.  I went between yellow, orange, and green.  Then I came across the Riley Blake Chevron fabric in BOY that uses navy, gray, orange, and red…. and knew this would be my color scheme.  So from there...

Right when you walk in the door…to the left is the changing table.

Geoff spray painted the mirror frame with navy spray paint.  I had this mirror since our first house…it was silver….. from Target about 6 years ago.

I made this Dr. Seuss quote myself in Photoshop.

I made the changing pad cover myself.  I used a great tutorial from here….but she has since taken it down.  She sells them in her shop now called Iviebaby.

I love this fabric tote/basket.  My mom got it for me filled with stuff before he was born.  (She bought it from a shop on Etsy, but I'm unsure of the name.)

I really like how this wall turned out.  I suppose it's time to change out at least one of those maternity photos and put one of him….eventually.  

During my pregnancy with Nolan….this was the verse that I kept coming back to over and over and knew I wanted to be in his nursery.  I think this verse also had more meaning to me after the miscarriage I had a few months before I got pregnant with Nolan.   I made the typography in Photoshop then had it printed on a canvas at Costco.  

The book shelves are from Ikea…and we already had the books.  :)

I made the blackout curtains with the navy and white chevron fabric from Premier Prints, and lined them with blackout fabric from Joann's (used a 40% off coupon).  I followed the same steps I did in the DIY blackout curtain tutorial from when I made the curtains for the girls.

I made his mobile for a few dollars using a circle punch, embroidery hoops, and thread.  The tutorial can be found here.

I got this wooden letter from Canton and painted it navy.

THE bedding.  Ha ha ha!

THE bumpers.  I used a wonderful tutorial on how to make them from Leanne Barlow found here.  I got the crib sheet from a shop on Etsy.  I just didn't even want to mess with figuring out how to do that.  And ultimately….I wanted him to have a sheet!  :)  I made the minky blanket and the dust ruffle.

My mom embroidered his initials for me.

This was the first time I ever made bumpers….and the first time I ever used cording.

The lamp and orange lamp shade are from Ikea.

I got the swivel rocking chair from Wal Mart (we used site-to-store so shipping was free).  I wish it was solid navy…but for the price…the navy stripe it was.  This chair is also very comfy.  I actually went to Pottery Barn Kids one day while I was pregnant and purchased their nice swivel rocking chair….for $1200.  By the time I got home, buyer's remorse was eating away at me.  So I called and canceled my order.  I'm so happy I did and I love this chair…and for $900 less!!

Now that I sit here and type….I realize that this was actually the last thing I finished for the nursery.  The wall behind the chair and the lamp was just a little bla so I wanted to add something.  I just made this with scraps of fabric I already had in my stash.

And let me NOT forget to mention that Geoff painted those gray and white stripes for me.  He did an amazing job…so nice and neat and crisp.  And after the stripes he also painted when it was Grace's nursery….he's become a real pro!  (and I like the gray better….I can hardly remember the green!)

And turns out….the nursery is SO much cuter with this little guy in it.

{look at the whites of his fingers!}

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Linking up with:
Handmade Tuesdays @ Ladybug Blessings
DIY Showoff

mini bathroom makeover

We started making over the bathroom months ago....and I think I can finally say it is done.  It's actually the only room in the house right now that doesn't have something that still needs to be done.  :)

These pictures are really poor quality because there is no natural light and the lens I used, but you get the picture.

This is the kids' bathroom (also the bathroom that guests use since we do not have a half bath).  Just a regular ole bathroom with two sinks, toilet, and tub.  ;)

Before:

After:

We {read: Geoff) painted the walls     by Behr (these pictures make it look a little green, but it's not at all...it's more of a taupe color and I really, really like it).  I knew I wanted to add some 'color' because I have so much white in there and I just needed add a little something.  ;)  But I have trouble with committing to color.  I love other people's homes that have color on the walls...but for me- I'm so fickle and doubt myself and then drive my myself (read: my husband) crazy. 

Most of the bathroom was inspired by this bathroom.

So Geoff spray painted the molding a glossy black and glued to mirror to make the frame.

I think it adds so much.  Believe it or not...we framed our mirror in our first home waaay before Pinterest.  :)  Our first home was a foreclosure and basically trashed...so we did a LOT of work to it.  Anyway- we had to take the bathroom mirror down and it accidentally cracked.  He came up with the idea to frame it and I always told him that it was a great mistake to make because it made such a difference in the bathroom!

I saw this sign on pinterest, as well, and knew it was what I wanted to go in their bathroom.

I purchased this white shower curtain soon after we moved in.  I did try to get a different shower curtain over the summer and it hung in there for a few months, but I just wasn't feeling it.  So I put the white curtain back up....which then motivated me to add the color to the walls because it was just too white!  :)

With baby #3 coming...I also knew I needed a better way to hang their towels to dry.  We had the original towel rack that is good for drying 1, maybe 2, towels at a time.  Not very functional.

So when I saw this a while back...I knew that's what I wanted to do.

My sister, Kristin, made these towels for the kids and my mom embroidered their names.  I love how all of this turned out.  And, of course, after Nolan is born...we'll take new pictures for those frames.  :)

I guess I would like to still change out the light fixtures....but this will do for now.

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DIY Burlap Family Rules Sign

Since about 18-19 weeks in this pregnancy I've considered myself to be in 'nesting mode'.  I've mentioned before that we've lived in this house just over 3 and half years and I'm just now getting around to 'decorating' and hanging things on the wall.

I've seen these family rules signs all around.  There are many many ways to do it.  But I saw a burlap sign when visiting trade days recently and thought I could maybe do it myself.

So I picked up one yard of burlap (at 40% off)....and this frame at 50% off (all at Hobby Lobby) and cut it a few inches bigger than 18x24 (but if I were you....give yourself quite a bit more room around the edges...then you won't have to worry about having enough around the edges when it comes to centering in the frame).

I also picked up some charcoal gray paint, this stencil and brushes (all were on sale except the brushes).

Then I just started stenciling.  I kind of eyeballed/half way measured where I needed to start.  Fortunately- I did pretty well centering it from top to bottom....but if I had it to do over...I would have started more to the left.  I thought I might have to stop and let the letters dry before moving to the next, but I didn't.  I didn't lay the paint on too thick so I think that helped.  Also- you can see some places where it left spots...but I kind of like that look.  :)

I then purchased a tan piece of foam board (at 50% off).  White could possibly be fine...but I was worried if you could see through the burlap- I wanted it to be tan, too.  Geoff did a great job cutting the foam board so that it fit nice and snug into the frame.

Geoff painted a coat of mod podge on top of the foam board and glued down the burlap (this was to help keep it stable for framing).

We let it dry overnight...and the next morning...Geoff basically just popped the foam board with the burlap into the frame.  Because of the snug fit- we didn't have to use nails or anything else to keep it inside.

And the finished product.  I added 2 little burlap rosettes that I made to give it a little something.

Right now- I have it hanging just past our entry way....but not quite sure that's where I want to keep it.  We'll see.

I do love how it turned out though.  Not perfect...and part of me wants to redo it. :)  But the imperfections are growing on me.

And I do love what it says, too.

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