A View of a Room

Baby A's room is done! Of course, there's still 2 or 3 little things I have tucked in the back of my mind to take care of at a later date, but for now, it's time to move on. :) I've never really gone all out on a baby's room -- the timing just wasn't right for J or K. And since we won't be having another baby for a long time (if we have another baby...), I'm trying to squeeze this baby phase for all it's worth. So this time that included a nursery. I started collecting fabrics and ideas when I was about 5 months pregnant. The fabrics and baskets I bought new, everything else came to me some other way. The crib is the same one J and K used, the bookshelf was another trash find (the same bookshelf of the infamous painting incident), the changing table is on loan from a friend, the lazy boy is second hand (and covered in white sheets... maybe someday I'll be able to justify plunking down $75 on a slip cover...), the little side table came from a garage sale (thanks, Heidi!). I love to use music - lyrics or printed music - to add some meaning to the final touches, so I used the song My Heavenly Father Loves Me for A's room -- I think it turned out pretty sweet. Anyway, here's a few things I learned from the process:

-always lock the door if you're too lazy to wash out the paint roller :)
-just START. Once I'd finally settled on all the fabric and my 'design' for all the sewing, I was completely intimidated and just stewed over it for 2 weeks.
-dying fabric basket liners is much more efficient than sewing new ones! (thanks mom!)
-always buy more paint than you think you'll need (5 cans of spray paint and 4 trips to WalMart later...)
-it helps to have help! I was pretty burned out when my parents came through town, and mom worked on the baskets for me (painting and dying... it was all very tragic... hee hee). Heidi found the recliner (I HIGHLY recommend having a recliner in a new baby's room - way better than a little rocker!) and the side table, and kept the bookshelf in her garage after 'bulky trash' until I was ready to paint it. Andrea was my 'consultant' and went with me to USA Baby to look for ideas and plan, and my sister Kendra helped with the scrappy bits - the tags on the baskets and the picture hanging over the changing table. Now I think about all these ladies when I'm sitting in that chair in the middle of the night, looking around the room as I nurse A. :) So thanks for your help!!
-power tools are empowering. :) I used my father-in-law's router to make the sign that hangs under the big A. I found some directions online, got more (and better) directions over the phone from my dad, and then talked to my father-in-law to make sure I was putting the bit in right. It was the first time I'd ever used a router, and I'm so addicted. When I was done in my make-shift wood shop, I was covered in sawdust, dripping sweat (it was a warm day), and happy as a clam. I told my FIL how much I love his router when I was about to return it, and he said, "Keep it for a few more weeks -- let me know how the projects go." So if you'd like to rout a hunk of wood and make it beautiful, come on by. :)
-I love my Cricut. I used it to cut the lettering for the sign, the song lyrics above the bookshelf, the tags for the baskets, and the scrappy part of the picture above the changing table. I got it at the After-Thanksgiving sale at WalMart for $120 (way better than the $300 sticker price!!). And if you have really nice friends with fun cartridges, you might be able to borrow them!! Thanks, Calli and Ashley!!! :)

Anyway, I love having this room for A -- and I'm pretty sure she loves it, too. Even when she's fussy and tired, I lay her down on the changing table and she'll just start cooing and smiling and looking around and kicking her wee little legs (she's got really cute wee little legs, in case you're wondering). Anyway, her sweet little room is a good place to be. :) Even for those 5 am feedings.