Nursery

Little man turned 4 months old yesterday!

I figure it's about time I posted some pictures of his nursery. Even though at four months it's not yet complete.

I decided against a particular nursery/layette set. Mostly because I didn't find one I liked (though I didn't look that hard). Instead, I went to JoAnn's and picked out fabric.

I started with the hand and footprint fabric you can see in the quilt above. I complemented it with the green, brown, blue, and yellow that you can partially see, too, and made a rag quilt.

This is the third rag quilt I've made. I love them because they are super easy and turn out really cute. Basically, you layer fabric and sew it together, then cut the seam allowances (which stick out on one side) and you have a cute, washable quilt that only gets better with wear and tear. I've used this tutorial every time. I'm so glad I chose to make a quilt rather than get one that came in a bed set because it's more personal. I know it's something Lucas will have forever. At least it better be!

With the leftover fabric added to a plaid pattern in the same color scheme, I made a pleated valance for the window. 

I was quite pleased with this little project because I didn't use a pattern. I just kind of played around until I got what I wanted. It turned out to be super easy. I just sewed together the squares of the plaid interspersed with the green, blue, and yellow that I wanted inside the pleats, and then pinned it to the brown to make the pleats. 

Make any sense? :)

This was the extent of sewing that was done before Lucas's arrival. But it was not the extent of homemade items that made it into the room. 

Mark's grandfather had a tradition of making something for each grandchild and has continued that tradition with his great-grandchildren. For this past Christmas, he, Mark's dad, and Mark's uncle made us a toy box with Lucas's name on it. 

Then, my parents and Mark's parents went together and commissioned another of Mark's uncles (who makes AMAZING furniture as a hobby!) to make a dresser/change table. 

He even made an attachment on the top to hold the change pad. It's removable, so once we don't need it anymore, it comes off and Lucas will have a dresser for his room. We got two sets of knobs. He stained  one to match the dresser, and the other is waiting to be painted the wall color. It's one of the yet-to-be-done projects. 

Mark and I purchased a bed from Babies-R-Us that will convert to a toddler bed and eventually to a double bed. I was very adamant about choosing a bed that would grow with him.

Mark was proud and pleased that it went together in about half an hour. 

Note how the woodcrafters made the toy chest and dresser to mimic the curve of the back of the bed. How awesome! You also can't tell from these pics, but there are decorative groves on the bed, and they added those to the toy chest and dresser, as well. 

My parents gave me the rocking chair that my mother rocked my sister and I in when we were infants. They had Mark's uncle stain it to match the dresser and toy chest.

We also chose to put in a bookcase that we've had for awhile - it's one my father made soon after he and my mother were married. 

I love that Lucas's room is a combination of new and old things that all hold special meaning. 

So, all of these things combined make a pretty awesome nursery!

Oh, yeah, I painted the owl prints above the change table. They have his first and middle name on them.

I've actually made a cover for the bright red pillow on the rocking chair, but it's in his room, and he's asleep, so no pics of that tonight.

Projects yet-to-be-done, including the knobs for the dresser, include a tablecloth for the spindly table in the corner and a bed skirt. And we'll see what else strikes my fancy during nap time.

That tells you about the form of the room. Perhaps someday I'll blog about the ways we use it!