In case you missed Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, and Chapter 6.

This is the chapter on ART.

Back in March I decided what would grace the wall behind (over) the crib… shadowbox frames filled with vintage Barbie outfits.  A collection.  So I started my search with Ebay and Etsy.  Took the plunge on a couple of outfits… this being the first purchase, a 1970s Barbie outfit:

That teeny tiny outfit cost me $50.  The second outfit also cost me $50.  Who was I kidding!? I learned very quickly that vintage Barbie clothes are EXPENSIVE.  I was burning up my budget waaaay too quickly.  So one night in a first trimester fog I started brainstorming (not easy for a tired pregnant girl)… I kept asking myself "how can I get this look for less?"  

So… I googled: "Barbie Paper Dolls"

And what did I find…

A set on Etsy.  1962 Barbie & Ken Paper Doll Set.  I threw 'em in my cart and checked out faster than lightening. 

What did I do next?  I emailed my Decoupage Guru Annmarie (Boston client-turned-friend, whose kitchen renovation I have yet to show you – sorry) to see what we could trade for her to decoupage these Barbie Paper Dolls to plates for me.  

Do you know how difficult decoupage is?  It is extremely time consuming and difficult.  Glue, bubbles, tiny detail work.  It is not for the impatient… and I fall into the "impatient" category.  But, before I asked Annmarie if she wanted to trade I asked her for tips – as I was going to try it myself, despite the anxiety I knew it would bring on me and my unborn child.  I'm rather crafty, I figured I could figure it out.  Her response was "you will shoot yourself trying to do it yourself, let me do it for you" (or something to that affect).  With all that is on my plate (and has been on my plate) – no pun intended, I agreed… better to leave the decoupage to the Master.  

The colors in the set of paper dolls worked perfectly with those in the nursery.  I sent her the paper doll set and told her to pick her favorite 12 outfits and I'd order some plate shapes so we could decide what works best.  Even though Annmarie lives in Boston and I live in Florida… not a week has passed over the past 9 months that we haven't discussed the plates.  

We ultimately decided on oval 7" x 10" oval plates.  When I went to Boston Annmarie had a prototype complete… here she is in her home office with plate #1:

See daughter Lucy's expression?  Lucy is 1/4 of the reason (Annmarie has 4 kids 5 years old and under)why I feel so humbled/honored that Annmarie is taking time to make these for me.  They are seriously going to be my favorite thing the nursery! 

And just because my husband LOVES to play the "will you hold this up for me" game… here's he is getting in on the action… just so I can give it the ole eagle-eye.

We may have decided to change the background from ivory vintage grasscloth to a burlap… but you'll just have to wait and see the finished product later!  

Other art in the room…

On the wall behind the rocking chair… I wanted a more grown-up art piece.  Selfish perhaps, but I looked it as an opportunity for a piece that Momma could keep forever and move around the house later if need be.  About a year ago I was helping a friend/neighbor with her home, when one day I showed up and saw an amazing painting.  When I inquired about it she said 'my friend Amanda Talley did it'.  So I googled 'Amanda Talley' and kept seeing more of her work pop up around the blogosphere.

I couldn't get it out of my mind.  I knew I couldn't afford an oil painting.  But everywhere I turned I was being teased by more Amanda Talley.  [she blogs too]

One day I got brave and emailed Amanda.  I unabashedly praised her work and asked if she had any options for a girl on a budget.  I figured if she came back with some greeting cards or something it wasn't meant to be… but she didn't.  She does drawings too.  And they are in my budget.  So I ordered a drawing.  

Can you tell I'm excited about it?  I went this weekend to get a mat cut for it… and found out it is oversized, would have to be special ordered, and might take weeks… just my luck.  I don't have weeks.  So Chance and I spent Saturday morning making our own mat.  I had some leftover grasscloth from my pantry project… and we went to Home Depot for some fiberboard.  My very exact precise engineer husband cut the 45-degree angles and I'm happier than I would have been had we gone with a plain ole mat board.

I ordered the frame from PictureFrames.com… but you'll have to wait to see the final results!

TGIF!!

PS- the PaperDoll set came from Etsy seller Kitschlandia! 

 I went to work an hour early yesterday, just so I could work on this post.  My computer at home is dead, despite the fact that I paid to have it repaired last week.  After I finished a very long and informative post on the window treatments, Typepad freaked out and I lost the whole thing.  Ahhhhh… the joys of blogging.  Maybe I will have success in finishing this post… and won't have to scream, stomp, and throw things at my computer in the process.

In case you missed Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, and Chapter 5.

This is Chapter 6 :: Window Treatments

Queue the Rolling Stones You Can't Always Get What You Want

I've failed to show you a floor plan of the nursery.  It is a little bitty room.  Perfect for a little bitty girl.  It does have the largest closet in the house, which concerns my husband (it was his closet, until I kicked him out to the other guest room)… he says "why does the smallest person in the house need the largest closet?" When he meets her he'll understand why she needs the big closet… the durn thing is almost full already.

I have a great handyman husband.  He hung the draperies in about 15 minutes flat.  My Stud hit a stud on all three of the brackets, which made the job go faster… and made him happy because he likes to complain about the weight of black-out lined draperies (which are my favorite).  I would like to mention… that is my drill.  Back when I started this business I used to install my own draperies and window treatments.  It was a nightmare, but I didn't have someone to help me, so I just did it myself. 

The natural woven shades came from Home Depot clearence rack and they cost…. drumroll please… $10.99 each.  I love the warmth and natural element they bring to the room.  And their color is quite nice with the gold crib.  I may have them lined, but for now they are up.

I believe that I already explained that the window treatments were an ivory cotton/linen blend with a 4" border on the leading edges of the coral and ivory stripe on the bias.  My seamstress did mention "it wasn't fun to sew that band on" when she dropped them off… but she did a darn good job! 

The drapery style is what I call: Two-Finger Euro Pleat (tacked at top of pleat), Black-Out Lined.  You may recall this is the same pleat/style I used on the cafe curtains in my design studio.

You may recall I was considering a valance/drapery combo for these windows, but as I mentioned before – the ceiling height in this room is only 8'-0" and it was just not gonna work for me.  So I reverted to a standard rod and ring system. 

Now in regard to the music you should have queued already… I wanted a skinny solid black iron rod – continuous (not expandable), with turned corner returns.  When I priced it however, I decided I can't always get what I want.  It was going to be $355.00.  I despise expandable (extension) drapery rods.  The rings don't ride smoothly on the rod and I find it very irritating.  But again, you can't always get what you want.  I found the rod below at the Restoration Hardware outlet for $45.  And I keep telling myself "the $310 you saved will buy a lot of diapers".

I am reminding myself in the grand scheme of things, an expansion rod isn't the end of the world… although I was tempted to spend 4 hours in Photoshop attempting to make the rod look solid in the photo below, and not tell you otherwise.  But… I'm keeping it real.   

I just ordered the rings to match the rod, they had one box at the outlet, but I needed 4 more.

My seamstress tucks drapery pins in each pleat, so they are very simple to just hook on the rings and hang… need a visual? click here.  

So there you have it.  Those are the only 2 windows in the nursery… and I am pleased with the results.  The draperies, like the crib skirt, kiss the ground.  They will likely grow a little, considering the linen blend fabric and the weight of the black-out lining.  This will be okay… when they have grown a little instead of "kissing the floor" I will say "I designed them to have a subtle break".

The chair is in- I'll show you in the next chapter.  When I'm not working, I've been washing tiny little pink clothes, blankets, burp cloths and bibs.  It's really still a little unbelievable that she will be here so soon! 

In case you missed Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 and Chapter 4.

This is Chapter 5… titled CRIB BEDDING

This is the camera phone edition… my apologies. 

Disclaimer: I do not sew.  I send everything out to a seamstress.  If you are looking for a seamstress in your area – try the phone book or google, and as strange as this may sound – I would check references.  A good seamstress is hard to come by.   I do spend hours estimating yardage and drawing up the details of the items that are being sewn up… but I'd hate to lead you astray and make you think I did this handiwork pictured below.  I did design it, but I did not sew it.

The cribskirt:

Normal bedskirts are made with a deck (the part of the bedskirt that is sandwiched between your mattress and boxsprings)… and they are 4 sided (foot of bed, two sides (the length of the bed), and a deck).  However, a usual bedskirt is not on a bed that needs to be dropped/lowered every few months.  A crib is a different story.  I've done cribskirts a few different ways in the past, but decided that this system is the most logical.

Three individual sides that tie to the spring system.  One of the long sides of my crib is against the wall, omitting the need for a 4th side (it'll be hidden against the wall anyway).  I like a skirt to "kiss" the floor… not be dangling up in mid-air.  Nothing against dangling up in mid-air, it's just not my look.  SO… each side of the crib skirt is a separate panel, and as you lower the coil/spring system and mattress you can tie the skirt a little further up up the spring deck so your look will be consistent (your skirt can kiss the floor still, regardless of your mattress height).  I had mine black-out lined… the weight of the lining makes it stay in place better, and just works better for the flat panel style of my skirt panels.  Had the style been gathered or ruffled, I would not have used black-out lining, probably wouldn't have used any lining at all actually.

Here I am hunched over the crib tying the skirt panels to the spring system.  Friend was watching and thought you readers would appreciate an action shot.  I couldn't reach the side panels as my belly wouldn't allow me to get close enough. 

See the ties?  See the rust on the spring system?  I wish it wasn't there.  Remember it was my crib and has been in my grandmother's cellar for years. One Saturday afternoon I hooked a wire brush to Chance's drill and tried to get the rust off and gave up after nearly injuring myself.  I don't think it will pose a threat as it is not accessible from anyplace the baby would ever be.

Another shot of how the skirt panel tied on.

The bumper pads:

I am aware that there is risk, danger, and warranted concern about bumper pads, will take them out of the crib when the little girl is of an age when they become a danger.  There are mesh/breathable bumpers out there, and while they aren't as cute, they are safer.  Thank you for being concerned about the well-being of my daughter, I would never want to do anything that might potentially harm her.   

The ties, boxing, and welt cord are the stripe I mentioned I had installed on the diagonal.  The ties are each  23" long before being looped into a bow.  I wanted big bows, so I had to have long ties.  I've never been into bows, but they seemed right.  The cotton ivory fabric (bumper face) is just some extra that was in my "stash", I prewashed it and shrunk it… so when she vomits and poops on it I won't have a stroke.  I will likely handwash them when necessary.  The bumper covers are slipcovers (zipped on bottom), removable with cushions beneath.   

In this photo below the end bumpers weren't set in place yet… they rest square between the long side bumpers.

I wasn't alone in this endeavor, I had a friend and my husband helping me.  Friend tied the bows… said her grandmother taught her how, she nailed it.  So much so that I untied the bows I made and had her re-tie them.  I need a lesson in bow-tying.

Next chapter I will show you the draperies, they went up this very same night.  It's coming together!  The new chair should be here this week or next. 

To answer some questions:

The paint on the crib is Ralph Lauren Regent Metallics, as I pointed out in Chapter 2. I had the crib stripped and primed and then painted (they sprayed it).  The paint can is not in front of me, but I am guessing that it is latex paint… the website simply says "interior finish".  There is not a clear top coat on it, the paint finish is very nice (remember, I told you I had great painters) and it wasn't necessary… plus I didn't want it to be a glossy finish, it's already gold for goodness sake. 

"When she chews on the crib" comments/questions… I have the plastic rail protector that covers the side rails- they are just ugly and I will wait until this becomes an issue to put them on.  

The Oscar de la Renta fabric: to my knowledge it is discontinued.  I have searched endlessly since I bought it 3+ years ago and have not been able to find it again.

The stripe on the bumpers is Artmark Fabric – Jigsaw Stripe in color "Petal"… nothing fancy, just turned on diagonal (in my opinion) makes it so much more interesting!