Does Your Crib Look Naked?

[NY Mom]

These ideas are great.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post, if you have any 2nd hand baby shops around, they are great for some things like the bumper.

I'm hitting up one tomorrow in hopes of a changing table cover pad.

Also, try LandsEnd.com and look in the clearance section

[kathsmom]

Grace and Lori,

You're right! I do need to check out the outlets and 2nd hand baby shops. I need to add that to the other places that some of the other ladies have told me about (i.e., TJ Maxx, Marshall's, etc.). It's just so hard to get motivated to go out to all these stores in the heat. Ebay is SO much easier, but I usually like to see the item I am interested in before I buy it. Also, with ebay, there are no returns! Considering how many returns I have made to Pottery Barn Kids and Babies R Us, due to me changing my mind so much, I probably don't need to go the ebay route!!LOL.

Lori, you are right about Lands' End. They do have a guarantee that if you are EVER dissatisfied with a product, they will take it back. My pregnant brain just does not process or remember things very well right now!

Thank you for posting!

Toni

[suzska]

The dresser was my brother's, so it's older than I am, I think. But it was originally unfinished and my dad had stained it a dark walnut--the thing to do in the early 60's. When my younger brother decided to buy a new dresser, we said we would take the old one. My dad sanded it down again and primed and painted it. The blue is the same color as the walls. The green was a quart that I bought thinking I would use it on the walls before I decided to go with a darker shade on the walls.

The armoire we got at Ames (using a 30% off coupon). It was also unfinished, so we(I) decided to prime and paint it to match the dresser. I still have to finish the doors on it. I want to do the panels in bright primaries and then either trace cars/trucks etc. on to them or use the decals I got at Target. Maybe that's what I should be working on instead of typing at the computer! LOL!

My Lands' End sheets are a little loose, but I was never concerned about them as far as safety. I have two of the flannel Carter's sheets, but they're just a solid blue and I haven't used them since the bumper came out (guess I'm afraid of the "naked crib" look after all).

[kathsmom]

UPDATE!

Hi, Ladies!

I think we have reached a decision regarding the crib and decorating the room. We found in our attic a crib set (comforter, bumper, and sheet) that my mom had on a crib she kept at her house for the grandchildren to sleep in. She got rid of the crib, thinking everyone was done having children, and gave us the crib set to sell in a yard sale. We never had the yard sale, so the set was just stored in the attic, and totally forgotten about until last night! It is a cheaper set, but at least I won't feel guilty when I have to take the bumper out! And it fits my budget - FREE!! The set is a white background with circus animals and teddy bears dressed as clowns and stars in chambray blue, yellow, red, green , and black. We are cleaning out the spare bedroom now for the baby. It was DH's office (he works out of the house when he is not travelling). When we looked under the twin bed in the room, we found a set of curtains the previous owners left. The curtains are white with yellow stars wtih "ribbons" of color coming off of them in red, blue, and green. How great is that? Now all I have to do is get those good quality sheets that I have been wanting.

For the walls, we are going with a light blue and DH and DD like the idea that I posted earlier about sponge painting yellow stars on the wall. That may be too much with the print on the curtains and the crib set, so we'll see. I will definitely get my baby blue walls though!!

Thank you all so much for your ideas and opinions. You have all really helped a lot, and I appreciate the time you took to post.

Toni - mom to Katherine (5/19/96) and baby boy on the way (9/30/02)

[suzska]

FREE is always great!

Maybe you could just do one or two stars near the crib area and maybe a little larger and match the pattern on the drapes if that seems to make sense. Sort of like the stars are shooting out of or over the crib or something? Or try painting a border of smaller stars near the ceiling (or maybe just above crib height) matching the colors on the crib set.

You know me. I'm just full of ideas! ;-)

[kathsmom]

Sue,

I am thinking of just doing the stars around the window frame, or a row of stars close to the ceiling all around the room or right above the chair rail. My initial idea (when we were going to have nothing but crib sheets) was to have stars all over the top half of the wall all around the room. Now that the room is getting cleared out, it is a little easier to see and imagine where things will go and how we might decorate. Having DH's work things in here did not help the creative process (he sells industrial equipment for a manufacturer). He has done an awesome job though with everything we've had to do to get ready for the baby, so I can't complain!

I am still going to go to JoAnn's ETC and look for that lamp shade you told me about and look at fabric too. My mom is coming next week to help me get a few final things that I need and I am going to let DH take DD to a birthday party. That way, I can shop without the usual "Can we go now?" - this is from both DH and DD!LOL.

By the way, are you still using the Lands' End do-it-all exclusively as your diaper bag? You had posted that it was the only diaper bag you used on my question about the best diaper bags on the stroller/diaper bag board. I was wondering if it still was your exclusive diaper bag, or if you had downsized now that Evan is older. I am still debating on what to get. I got the Lands End Little tripper, the avent carryall bag, and a cheap baby backpack on clearance from BRU (for $13.98! It is soft and has some pockets and tons of room). I really can't and don't need to keep them all, even though it would be nice to have a diaper bag wardrobe!! Let me know when you get a chance! I am interested in getting the Combi traditional bag as my all day out/possibly everyday bag, as well as the do-it-all. A lot of people on these boards don't like the do-it-all for everyday use, because it is too bulky.

Thanks for the ideas!

Toni

[suzska]

I guess it's a little bulky (the Do-It-All), but I use it as my everyday diaper bag. If I/we take Evan shopping, I/we just throw the bag in the shopping cart. If we have the stroller, it goes in the basket underneath. I suppose I've gotten use to it, and don't mind lugging it out of the basket when I need it. (I have a Graco Coachrider "Monster" Stroller--yes, I was one of those first-time parents who was told to get a travel system--and I have a Combi Convenience Stroller, so the baskets are big enough to hold the bag. Although I swear the basket on my replacement Combi is smaller than the old one?!? Or so it seemed yesterday when I tried putting the diaper bag in for what I think was the first time with that one. I know when we took the old one to Disney World, I had the diaper bag and a few light jackets stuffed in there. Oh, well.).

I have the Little Tripper, but never use it. It was a shower gift. I've taken it to Gymboree class a couple times. Maybe I wish it had one more pocket or a place for a sippy cup. Usually if we're going somewhere I need a day's worth of diapers and/or sippy cups and a bib (Maws plastic with the "scoop"), so I like having room to stuff everything, plus a change of clothes (or PJ's--we go to my mom's every Saturday night for dinner. Just got back. And we put Evan in his PJ's before we leave so we don't wake him once we're home--a 25 minute drive). I don't need a "stylish" bag, so I haven't invested in one. I like all the pockets. I like to keep the diaper supplies separate from the food and clean clothes. I think I just have spare rolls of film in the parent's pocket right now. I still carry my purse. The few times I've tried to take stuff out of my bag and put it in the diaper bag, I've forgotten to transfer it back. I should mention that right now my "purse" is a bag that I got a few years ago from Eddie Bauer and doesn't look anything like a purse. ;-) I've been good and haven't started a diaper bag "collection."

One last note, the Do-It-All can get heavy if you have to carry it for long periods. But like I said I try to put it in to something with wheels rather than carry it.

Best of luck! And I want to see pictures of this nursery when it's done. :-) ;-) If I get around to it, I'll try to take a picture of Evan's room once I get the letters back on the wall. The armoire is finally done (except for the "tough-ups" to the paint here and there, but I won't get to that anytime soon. I was too busy painting the hallway/stairs yesterday.)

Oh, and I totally understand about leaving everyone at home when you go to JoAnn's! I went today while DH was at home (and Evan was napping). Of course I go in for one or two things and come out with MANY more than that! LOL! I can never just run in and pick up the one thing I want--I have to look through the whole store! So many projects....so little time....

P.S. I keep trying to find the lampshades on their site, but all I can find is this project that mentions them. http://www.joann.com/content/project...ampshades.html I kind of like the cording in the picture. Maybe that's what I should have used instead of the eyelet trim I had on hand. DH doesn't like the eyelet.

Have fun!!!

[kathsmom]

Sue,
Thanks for the quick reply about the diaper bag. I will probably order the do-it-all and try it out. I can always send it back if it does not work.

Thanks for the link to JoAnn's about the lampshade. I love the cording too. It's a great idea to add a little "designer" touch. I don't understand why your DH doesn't like eyelet (LOL).

My neighbor is a professional house painter and he is supposed to loan me his color wheel. He uses Duron paint and said that he has painted "Milano Blue" in several clients' baby's rooms. I can't wait to see the color. Oh, the glider rocker we had for DD is white with a blue chambray velour/chenille type upholstery on the cushions. So, everything seems to be coming together nicely, which is a good thing since Monday will begin my 33rd week!!

The only problem with getting pictures to post is that we don't have a digital camera. I told my DH we need to get one. My brother has a digital video recorder, which takes still shots (I think). I am so computer illiterate that I am clueless with all that stuff.

Anyway, if we do get a digital camera (or my neighbor lets us use his), I will definitely post the pictures.

I'll let you know if I find the lampshade and some fabric.

Thanks bunches!

Toni

[NY Mom]

This may be off topic a little, but not really. I would LOVE to see pics of what all of you have done to your nurseries. I have a digital camera so when I get a few moments I'll post pics of DD's and DS's bedrooms I did using mostly stuff bought on Ebay.

Grace
Mom to Kevin 4/27/00 and Angela 2/2/02

[kathsmom]

Grace,

That's a terrific idea. I would love to see what others have done with their nurseries. A picture is worth a thousand words. Did you see Sue's nursery? She had an attachment on one of her earlier posts.

I wonder if we need to start a new post with pictures, or just keep adding to this post. Anyway, please do post your pictures.

Thank you for posting all your suggestions and helping me with my questions.

Toni