Baby Nursery Tour

With a week before Baby Pope is due to be born, we’re happy with the outcome of the room for him/her to come home to. After the sneak peek I posted in July, I’ve completed quite a bit of sewing and Ronny has helped a lot with reorganizing.

I was inspired for the colors of the room from the fabric {Moda’s Baby Jane} that I used to make the crib quilt. I also liked the vintage/antique feel for decorations, so I found a lot of the decorations from antique stores and from Ronny and I’s childhood.

My grandparents gave us this beautiful, antique dresser for baby’s room. It is the perfect size for the changing pad and a bin for easy access to diapers, wipes, and creams.

The wall collage was a work in progress that I’ve been collecting for some time. I’m thankful for Ronny and his measuring tape/level skills. He made sure it was all even. I would have just eyeballed it. :)

I made this small quilt hanging out of scrap fabric from my quilt. It was my first paper-piecing quilting project. I used this cow pattern, and included mini-flying geese as well. When putting on the binding, I included large, white rick-rack and hung the wall hanging inside of a frame I found from Goodwill that I spray painted white.

This year when we were visiting the National Western Stock Show, I came across this poem call, “The Tradition” and I loved the ending paragraph. Frame also found at Goodwill.

I love Golden Books. And since this book had a cow and the perfect colors for the baby’s room, I framed it (in another spray painted frame from Goodwill.)

This piece is a yarn art that I found in my grade-school crafts box. I’m not sure when I created it, but I love the colors. It was hung in my office, but I switched frames.

I left one small square frame to put a baby picture in.

I also made the crib mobile. Using this tutorial, I simply printed out the steer and bird silhouettes for the pattern. I made fabric/batting sandwiches, sewed around the steers and birds, then cut them out. I used Fray Check to keep the edges from fraying. Then I used embroidery floss to attach each one and tied to an embroidery hoop. Ronny said baby will get to start their livestock judging skills early with this pen of five. :)
 

The other side of the room includes our glider chair (that I originally got for my office), book shelf, Ronny’s childhood rocker and bear, pallet shelf and the laundry basket that I scored at a craft show.

This shelf was passed down from Ronny’s family. I found the wood crate and freezer basket at antique stores for books, and my friend, Maggie gave us the FEED wire basket that I’m using for toys. My friend, Georgia’s dad repurposed the lamp and painted it turquoise. I love it!

I think Ronny’s nesting kicked in before mine because he organized the whole closet!

We are using this basinet that was my Dad’s, and each one of us kids slept in. The frame above it is from the Colorado Baby Shower where my family and “mom’s” each included a Bible verse.

For the sewing projects, I used the sizing for the crib skirt from this tutorial I found on Pinterest, but instead of velcro, I attached ribbons. I liked the idea of using ribbons to tie on the skirt so I can easily move it up as I move the mattress down. I incorporated the flying geese pattern that I used on the quilt as well.

I struggled to find a changing pad cover online to buy, so I used this tutorial to make my own. I had a strip of the turquoise, ABC’s fabric so I put it in there for some fun color.

The last thing not in nursery right now, but is a nice addition for Baby Pope coming is this beautiful rocking chair from Grandpa and Grandma Bailey. We picked it out at a local Amish store, and I love that I’ll be able to do lots of rocking and cuddling in it very soon!

Baby Quilt–Flying Geese & Chevron pattern

Four weeks before Baby Pope is expected to arrive, and I’m finally getting his/her quilt finished. I started it mid-June and just created my own pattern based on this picture I found on Pinterest.

I fell in love with the Baby Jane fabric by Moda – especially since it had the perfect color turquoise, and the red, golden yellow and gray were neutral colors for the baby’s room. I ordered the charm pack and cut them in half diagonally.

I arranged the rows with alternating triangles to form a chevron/semi-flying geese pattern. I really wanted to include flying geese in this quilt in a fun, modern way. I did use the traditional flying geese on the back of the quilt.

When I finished the top & back, I sent it off to my favorite quilting lady in Omaha, Aimee at Splendid Stitches and she did a fantastic job with the quilting.

I used the turquoise-colored fabric for the binding. I’m so fortunate that my grandma switched sewing machines with me so I could use her awesome machine with fun designs for the binding. I’m pretty sure after she uses my dinky/simple machine, she’ll want hers back pretty quick! But I loved playing with hers.

Next up to finish: crib skirt and changing pad cover. Then we’ll just need a baby!

Throughout this whole summer, I thought I’d have plenty of time/energy to finish these projects. I’m going to finish in time, but wish I’d worked on them earlier in my 2nd trimester when I definitely had more energy!

Crafting time

I received a great birthday present. Yes, back in October. And I’ve been using it since then! Using it enough that I haven’t taken any pictures.

So here it is, my awesome crafting table that I received from my parents.

It is TrueCut Crafting Table from The Grace Company and is a multi-level, multi-sized table that can change heights, and both sides fold down. Most importantly, it is on wheels, so I can move it around my craft room, yet fold it down to conserve space in our small basement room.

I set it at mid-waist height so I would not have to bend over to do all of my cutting. And it has been a back saver! And the shelves are perfect to keep my fabric scrap baskets and spools of thread.

I also like where I have it positioned next to my sewing machine. I’m working on a large quilt right now, so I can easily lay the extra fabric on the table or the first shelf and it doesn’t drag down to the floor.

My sewing area isn’t glamorous, but it works great for me and I’m so grateful for this extra piece that adds so much to one of my favorite hobbies. Thanks again, Mom and Dad!!

“beach balls” baby quilt

One of the quilts I took to the county fair I couldn’t blog about earlier because it was a gift for my niece, Maelle. And I forgot to get a good picture of it before I gave it to Ryan & Lindsay. Here is a little bit about the quilt that I made for her.

For the pattern, I used a Lazy Girl Littles pattern.

For the fabric, I used the Moda Pezzy print Charm Pack.

Here are a few pictures of the quilt.

DIY doll blanket and pillow

For my cousin, Katie’s Christmas present, I made her a dolly blanket and pillow. She is really into dolls right now, and according to her dad, is always wanting to put them to sleep. Perfect gift idea!

I didn’t use any particular pattern, although I got the idea for the doll quilt from my friend, Shelley’s Garden Bricks Quilt.

I simply used 4 inch strips and tried to alternate the lengths in each row. The finished quilt size was approximately 24”x18”. I used some pink embroidery floss to tie the quilt top to the solid pink backing.

To make the pillow, I used two pieces of fabric that were 6”x9”, sewed the right sides together and flipped inside out, then filled with stuffing.

I’m pretty sure she liked it! :)

Christmas decor

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We enjoyed the day in Kansas with Ronny’s family and on Friday, my nephews and I helped Grandma put up her tree. They were big help.

We came back to Nebraska on Friday night. This gave us time to decorate for Christmas!

As I was pulling out my Christmas decorations, I realized I really skimped on the fall decorations this year and didn’t get out a majority of them. So we put up a few more indoor and outdoor decorations to make up for it. (These are all phone pictures – sorry for the fuzziness.)

My favorite part of my decorations is my kitchen chandelier. I draped snowy, pine garland across the top and hung icicle ornaments throughout. This picture doesn’t do it justice.

I didn’t put our tree up this year, but I have two smaller trees up instead.

I also love my nativity scene that Grandpa and Grandma Cinnamon made for us. The perfect reminder of why we celebrate Christmas.

We don’t have an elf on a shelf, but we do have a Santa on a shelf! He seems to be happy up there – maybe he just likes sitting by the wine? :-)

And remember this – my Christmas in July project? It found a new spot in our living room as well. How could anyone give Baby Jesus a white ribbon? Makes me laugh every time I look at it, thank you hubby.

Lastly, we surely aren’t the Griswold’s, but we do have some lights up this year – which is more than what we could say last year. Thanks to Ronny and our friend, Josh, for putting these up!

And while we’re talking decorating, my chair finally came in for my new office/reading room. Here is sneak peak, but I want to share with you the whole room transformation…stay tuned!