Operation Nursery Makeover Part 5 {$215 Canvas Art Giveaway}

So... The crib is up, mattress in the bed (still has the wrapper on it though), we have a dresser, I made the mobile, her name is hanging in adorable modge podge letters made my yours truly, and I have some beautiful wall art hanging above her crib with a cute vinyl saying once again created by *clears throat* this mama right here!!

I got a bed skirt to go under the queen bed that's in the room, and I'm making some throw pillows that match the crib bedding that's COMING TODAY! And curtain valances I made for the bed (tutorial for pillows coming soon... If I ever finish them).

I got some wall shelves for a corner of the room and I hung them up Friday, and I am refinishing a toy box I bought for $20 on Craigslist.

It's safe to say the room is coming together from [wanna be] Man Cave to Nursery, it's really transforming! I blogged about my husband's love/hate relationship with my redecorating on my Parenting blog, so check that out too, comment if you can pretty please!

But there's still some things I'm working on. For one, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with this high ledge in the room. It's so high and there's so much white between what's below on the wall and up on the ledge (I've put a few teddy bears up there so far) that I feel like I need more up there.
I'm thinking of adding maybe some baskets, and big blocks or something... But I think I need something more drastic... I may even*gasp* paint the wall above the ledge/shelf as an accent wall. Maybe I'll paint it green or yellow. We're renting so I'm hesitant to paint but I really am not sure what else to do, but she said we can paint if we want (though me way have to paint it back). I also worry about getting up there... I'll need a ladder or something and this could be dangerous in my condition.

Now on to something else I added to the nursery recently... I'm cheating a little on this week's What I'm Making Monday cause while I MADE it... Sorta, some ordering was also involved.

I had seen posts and tweets about this company called Modern Bird Studios. They have a very--well--modern type of art that's beautiful for your home.

When they contacted me and asked if I wanted to try it out I was soooo indecisive on what I wanted. I knew I wanted something personal, but something that would still go in the room. I worried their contrast look wouldn't go with my whimsical theme... Boy was I wrong!

Since I like butterflies I asked if they could take this picture I took of a butterfly during a date with my hubby, and convert it into a piece of art. Originally we tried pink and brown. But once I figured out the colors of the nursery we decided to go with pink, green and white! They were so professional, polite and QUICK! And they sent me examples every step of the way!

They shipped them to me in the best protective shields. Really, there was no way I was gonna get a scratch on those things, it took me about 20 minutes to unwrap it all! But I was SO impressed when I got them out and set them side by side. Look how it turned out!So sturdy, beautiful, unique PLUS I took the photo! I think that adds a nice personal touch, knowing I took that picture and it turned into something so pretty and personal for the room, plus it all matches. But the nice thing is they also have pre-designed series you can see on their site, with beautiful pictures you can choose from with flowers, and other wildlife.

Then, wanting to add my own little flair to it I added these bows and hung them on the wall!It's an illusion though. There's a nice stand on the back of the picture so it's actually hanging by that and a nail, then I added the ribbon and taped the bows to the wall (hehe, sneaky I know). I can't wait to show you the nursery all together once I get it all finished. We're getting there!

You can find out more about Modern Bird Studios by visiting their website, following @Modern_bird on twitter or "Liking" their Modern Bird Studios Facebook Page.

I went a totally different route with some of my photos, since I was going for bright, colorful, and "nurseryish" but look at these other GORGEOUS styles for your home!

Want a beautiful piece of art just for you!? Right now, you can BUY a work of art from Modern Bird studios and get 15% off until May 30th. Use code: "BABYMAKING"

And you can take your chances at WINNING a 12"X12" canvas art from Modern Bird Studios! That's a $215 VALUE!

{{To Enter}}

Visit Modern Bird Studios and in the comments of this post let me know your favorite color combo and what picture you'd get for your home.

{{For Extra Entries}}

Leave an extra comment if you:

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*People who have won a giveaway from Modern Bird Studios before aren't eligible to win again*
*Open to Continental US*

Contest Ends May 23rd at 11:59pm
Random.org will choose the winner. Good luck!

I was given the canvas pictures for free for conducting this review. I was not compensated in any other way for writing the review, opinions expressed are mine alone.

Making No Sew Curtains for Spawnie: What I'm Makin(g) Monday

I know it's SO LAME but I come close to tears when I talk about putting Spawnie's nursery together. Decorating a nursery for a little girl is quite honestly something I've dreamed of doing for SO LONG.I've never had a set sketch or layout decided but I've always known I'd want lots of PINK... And some other colors. Well, finding the swatches of the bedding I love, and adding that with other items in the room to match has been one of the most fun experiences of my life.

I was just telling a friend that I have NEVER decorated an entire room... Never had something on every wall, or enough curtains for all of the windows. I'm just not a very good decorator and my rooms have always been very plain. Even now my living room has basically four things hung up but there's SO MUCH blank space on the walls, I don't have any decorative pillows, I'm missing a curtain panel, and nothing really coordinates.

I've tried to make my living room look trendy but since we've moved so much it's been hard to keep up with.

With my Spawnie's nursery I've tried to turn over a new leaf. I already have something on almost all of the walls and I'm not stopping! It's also the first time I've had curtains AND valances, and guess what?... I MADE THEM MYSELF! Operation Nursery Makeover Part 5 (click that link to read 1-4)!And since my sewing machine is out of commission right now I did it WITHOUT sewing. I used this wonderful stuff right here! Iron-on adhesive. I got the extra-strength Heat n Bond and it works GREAT!

So for you ladies who don't have, or are intimidated by sewing machines this is a fast and cheap way to do it! Honestly the HARDEST part of this whole ordeal was picking fabric and getting it cut the right size. I brought fabric swatches to match with my bedding coming from Artistic Sensations and ended up ordering some of the same fabric online for the valance, but getting a pink at the store to match.I was LITERALLY in the fabric store walking round and round doing math in my head and near tears, ok I lied... IN tears trying to figure out how much I needed and why I kept calculating "6 yards."

Turns out I was converting inches to FEET and THINKING yards and got way thrown off.... Stupid Preggo Brain. My best advice is to ASK FOR HELP from the nice lady cutting your fabric. I told the lady at Hancock Fabrics I was making curtains and she asked me "want them to bunch?" then when I said "yea" she helped me cut the right length! I asked her to cut each one in half too so the sizes were pretty much set for each panel.

She also told me to pre-wash the fabric cause it can (and did) shrink. So I used our washer and dryer for the first time in about a year... I didn't even need my husband's help to do it! And I pre-shrunk the fabric!After that I ironed out all of the fabric and got to sewing... I mean, more ironing.

For three sides I folded over the edges by about 1/2 inch for a hem. Then at the fourth side (which would be placed at the top, that the curtain rod would go in) I folded over a hem, then folded again about an inch so there was room for the rod.I ironed each side down first to make a crease, then cut the iron stitch stuff to the same length of each side, placed it under the folded-over part, and ironed it shut!!

Repeat for each panel, place on the inner curtain rod and TADAA!!The valances were easier cause there was less fabric. I only bought 2 yards and I have lots left over that I'll use for a pillow. Same story, just different lengths... Mine are about 23 inches long.Put those on the outer curtain rod and TADAA!!So, what do you think?! And you are lucky cause I was gonna save these pics for a part of the nursery reveal but what the heck, I'm so excited I wanted to show it off!! The crib wasn't up in this picture though, and the room was a mess so seeing everything together will still be a surprise.

What did you make? Link up and share! I'm loving visiting your sites and getting more fun ideas! I'm visiting them all! Be sure to link back to "What I'm Makin(g) Monday" here to help spread the word!

Operation Nursery Makeover Part 4: Things are Coming Together

Spawnie's room is FINALLY looking like an actual nursery now. If you compare it to the beginning you'd be impressed with my handy work. ESPECIALLY since I'm really not a good decorator. I think the biggest things making a difference are the curtains I made (without a sewing machine). I would show you but I'm trying to keep the full effect a secret for now so there's a big surprise at the end.

There are some thing I'm still working on putting together and more ideas I'm working on. CSN Stores has cribs and other fun things, and they're letting me pick an item from their store to review. Since Spawnie got so many books at our shower I REALLY want to get some bookshelves. I think I may get some of these in pink and/or white.The green would probably go well too but I'm paranoid the greens won't match in my room. It's hard to tell from a photo.

I mentioned before the crib is up! I also got my mattress from Kolcraft. I spent quite a bit of time researching which one would be best for one and I ended up choosing a Sealy Soybean foam mattress that's firmer on the baby side and more soft on the toddler side, so she can use it for awhile. I read a lot of reviews and people seem to love it. One of my friends got me a mattress pad at my shower so that'll be nice to have too! I'll have a full review once she gets here!

I found my perfect dresser last week, it's soo cute and I got it for $60 on Craigslist. Finding it is quite the story, I'll explain later. I still need a changing pad for the top but I'm in no rush.

Also, you can still vote on my bedding from Artistic Sensations on The Real Mom TV, though with my curtains and colors, Tickled Pink is my favorite and thankfully winning by a long shot! I'm getting the fabric custom made into a beautiful frilly bundle. I can't wait to get it!These are the fabrics and design I'm going for! Oooh I can't wait to see it on Baby Girl's crib. ...But I wonder if I tie the bumper and skirt on the outside for it to look like this? Do you know?

Now there are other things I'm debating on. With the bookshelves I'm getting I'll need some bookends to keep them up. I like these from Artistic Sensations, but I'm having so much fun painting things I may try to make my own. I like custom book boxes too, like this one from the same store.I may get a toy chest off Craigslist if I can find one, and repaint it myself to look cute in the nursery. I'm thinking white with some stencils! I haven't bought her any toys but she's already working up quite a collection from friends. I also am trying to finish some pillows with extra fabric I had from the curtains.

I LOVE these growth charts from Artistic Sensations. I know she won't be two feet tall for quite a while but I think something like this could be fun to place in a corner near her little chair or something.And I'm not sure but can you have TOO MUCH personalized stuff in the room? I already made her name letters and they're hanging above her dresser, and a chair with her name on the cover, but I would LOVE to get some things with her monogram on it since (spoiler alert) our initials are the same. Of course I need to save some room on the walls for photographs, I think I'll get or paint a bunch of white picture frames and fill them with photos of her family and her. I can't wait!

I have some stuffed animals up on our high ledge in the room. I'm starting to feel like everything up there is SO HIGH though, so I'm not sure if I should maybe drape something from there too, or what... Any ideas?

I can't wait to show it all off! It's come a looong way from the beginning. I'm feeling AWESOME now because I feel like I have the big stuff together and figured out but now I get to work on the fun stuff. Oooooooh, just 9 more weeks and 6 days to go!!

Operation Nursery Makeover Part 2

So you saw before pictures of my nursery which was pretty manly (my husband's wanna be man cave) and very non-kiddish.

Not much as changed except I took down the photos of Tiger Woods (that jerk), and we have LOTS of kids stuff in the room that people have given us. It's actually so messy that I decline to take a picture at the moment.

I AM ready to put the crib up though. I've downloaded some new tunes. I'm gonna pop on my Lullabelly and get to assembling.

Oh... Why am I doing it alone? Well see... I've sorta always been the handy woman, and to be honest my husband is far from a handy man. After being married a few years and we started to acquire nicer furniture I took it upon myself to assemble our etra-tall table and six chairs, as well as our dresser, bed, and book shelves. I learned quick enough that it was better I do it.

Don't tell him I told you, but after we bought our new HDTV a couple of weeks ago he panicked because "the sound didn't work." Two seconds after arriving on the scene I switched the cords from "audio out" to "audio in." Problem solved. So for the bed our dear daughter will be sleeping in I figure it's better we don't take any chances and just allow me to do the job right.

There's still no mattress to go in it and no bedding yet, but I think putting it up will make me take a small sigh of relief.

I know I still have 15 weeks left but that doesn't feel like much time. I would love to have everything ready at least a month before in case she decides to come early. I have a feeling she will... I know everyone must say that, but I really do!

There's a few things I need your help with in deciding though. First off... Remember the bedding I was debating on before? Well Artistic Sensations is partnering with me and The Real Mom TV to get me some bedding. They have BEAUTIFUL designs but remember how frilly I wanted mine before? Something like this...

Yea, well that's a little extra. But it's OKAY with me because like I said before... When it comes to a girl I can't settle on bedding. I've gotta get what I like. Kim, owner of Artistic Sensations said they'd take one of three color patterns and make it in the style I like

Tickled Pink

Strawberry Cordial

and Miss Priss

So, I don't really need your help DECIDING per-say, but I need your help voting... These are the different color schemes they've picked out for me, but going with the mobile I've already made and the colors and paisley scheme I like, I love TICKLED PINK best. Like I mentioned, I'll have it made with the satin ruffles and more pink. What do you think? Like it too? If so... PRETTY PLEASE vote for the Tickled Pink Bedding design here.

Now, something else I'd love your advice on... I won a $100 gift card to Pottery Barn Kids and I can't decide what to spend it on. Everything there seems so expensive to me... Even their books, and it's hard for me to bring myself to spend $20 on a book I can get for $2.50 at Half Priced Books.

So I've narrowed it down to a few things I like there and I'd love your help choosing.

Anywhere chair $60

Good side: It's cute, and I think she'd like sitting in it once she's big enough.

Bad side: As my husband pointed out... What baby will stay seated in a chair? I'm also worried about the size of it and a good spot for it in the room. We already have a queen bed, crib and dresser to start off with. I don't want it to be too crammed. They are also out of the hot pink polkadot color I love, so I'd have to settle for light pink.

Rose lamp and shade: $150

Good side: We don't have a lamp in the room and I think they can really make a room. It would be nice to have one next to the glider chair so I can read while feeding her.

Bad side: It's so expensive for a freaking lamp!

Hooded towels with name inscription: $20

Good side: I LOVE hooded towels. Love them even more when they're personalized. Can you have enough towels?

Bad side: I may want to wait and see what I get at my shower?

Window Panel $80 for 2

Good side: These are blackout panels, and since a lot of light comes into the nursery it could be great to have. I don't have any window treatment and I think they can really jazz up a room... Especially when we're not painting the walls.

Bad side: At $40 a panel I could quickly use up my card and then some. I think I'd need about 3 to cover all of the windows. I'm not sure how much they are at other places.

Crib Mattress $150

Good side: We don't have one, and from what I've seen at Babies R Us they can get expensive. I'm not sure what you really need in a mattress, I just know we need one.

Bad side: We'll be paying $50 over our gift card for the normal mattress, not their "deluxe" one. From what i hear you don't have to spend a fortune on a mattress, and I've seen them for less at Walmart/ Target. I'm not sure if we should save this gift card and maybe use others we may get down the road to cover the entire cost of a mattress.

Diaper Bag $80

Good side: Cute, classy, fun.

Bad side: I have one already, but the one I have is designer... I'm not sure I should have two expensive diaper bags. Maybe I should buy a REALLY cheap backup someplace else.

And there you have it! See how picky I am? Which do you think is the best deal or should invest in? Other things you love at Pottery Barn Kids? I'm obviously not big on toys. A friend gave me a box of toys and I think that'll keep up entertained for awhile... Or so I hope.

HELP!

Operation Nursery Makeover: Part 1

Well, the time has come to do SOMETHING (besides shop for clothing). I'm SOOO eager to set up the nursery and I figure you can never do it too early. Ok, maybe you can but I don't think that's possible with me. There's a lot I'd like to try to do an since we're on a pretty tight budget (and I'm a HUGE budget shopper) I'm trying to be wise and take my time.

I thought it would be fun to document this part of my journey once a week or so as I make progress on the room. This post is dedicated to the "BEFORE" and some things I'm currently working on.

Operation Nursery makeover is now in effect! We live in a 2 bedroom 2.5 bath town home. The bedrooms and full bathrooms are upstairs (as well as our laundry room thank goodness), but the main thing is the guestroom, now turning into Spawnie’s room.

We don’t have a ton of guests and though I imagine that will change a little once Spawnie gets here that doesn’t stop me from going all out for her room. Decorating a little girl’s nursery has been a dream of mine for a LONG time. A boy’s room... Not so much. But since Spawnie is a girl, I’m going to have fun with it, and there’s going to be lots of PINK in and around this crib! That's the crib we have but we haven't put it together yet. We CAN paint the walls but we're not going to. So I'd like to put some kind of deoration around the wall, maybe wallpaper, or tack up some scrapbook paper or something.

We’re going to leave the queen bed in there for when we do have company, we’ll take Spawnie in our room. I’ll just have to get some new brown or white bedding to go on that bed… Just something to match her bedding slightly. It'll also be nice to keep the bed in there so we can sleep in there sometimes if we want with her in the room with us (especially if we don't get a bassinet).

Currently the room I sorta left up to my husband. His Tiger Woods pictures (which should have come down months ago) will be outta there! As well as the other sports hangings on the wall.

I want the crib to go against the wall across from the bed.

My husband thinks I'm joking when I tell him he needs to find a new place for this clothing. This just isn't enough room for her things. He says she already has more outfits than him. And while I don't think that's quite true YET, it could very well be a good possibility in the near future, so we'll need to get a dresser. I'd like to place it across from the foot of the bed if it'll fit.

We don't really have room for a diaper changer, but we don't have one anyway. I think most kids don't end up getting changed there for long anyway so I'm not heartbroken over that.

I'd LOVE to put something up where this ledge/ shelf thing is in the room. It's high up there, and I'd have to use a chair to get things up and down but I think it would be a good place for some sort of decoration. Ideas?

There's a balcony off the room, and a little spot over near that door. I'm thinking we may put a toy box or bookshelf there. We need a bookshelf to go somewhere so I think that'll be the place. I'd also love to decorate outside on the balcony, but I doubt it'll be nursery themed.

Ok, now want a sneak peek at what I'm working on? I'll post tutorials as I finish them but here's a peek for now:

I'm working on a butterfly mobile.

And I just ordered the 10" wooden wall letters that I plan to decorate (matching her mobile) and hang on the wall above her crib. I'm hoping to do it something like this:

But I'm thinking brown ribbon, and more variation between letters. I also chose a font called "whimsical." Oh yes, and that means we decided on a name! ... No, the name above is not it.

Other than that, I'm currently searching for crib bedding. I saved my birthday and Christmas money for baby girl crib bedding (in case she was indeed a girl) and we got a free crib, so I figure I can splurge a little on bedding. I'm looking for something to this effect:

(Warning, rant ahead!) I KNOW everyone says not to spend a lot on the bedding yada yada yada, but really, I'm not going to settle for something that I sorta like just cause Spawnie may puke and pee on it a few times. I'm thinking I'll make a blanket myself to match it, but the bumpers and bed skirt is what I'll splurge on (no need to tell me how unsafe/safe bumpers are, I've read the facts, and plan to use an on/off method when necessary). I am HOPING the poop, puke and pee doesn't make it down to the bed skirt that often. I'll also buy some cheap simple pink and/or green sheets to go on the bed that can be changed often. So this may LOOK frilly to you, but I think it's beautiful and I'm going about it a good way. If I end up hating it hater and regretting not settling for something semi-ugly later I'll let you know, but as for now, the bedding is my "centerpiece."

Also, I'm not planning on going crazy with the butterflies but I did buy these:And I have a friend paining me pictures on canvas of fairies with big butterfly wings. I think I'll call the room "pink whimsical." Crazy? Ugly? Adorable? Ok don't tell me if you hate it, I'm very sensitive about this stuff!

I'm also teaming up with Artistic Sensations in the search for my room decor and baby bedding. I'm hoping and praying one of their designers can make bedding similar to what's above! They have a HUGE selection on their site of artwork and things of that sort. And my friend Nicole, from Chic Cheap Nursery is an interior designer and she's offered her services to me as well!

SO... I'm sure our three heads are better than my one (especially since I SUCK at decorating) but I also think that 100 heads are better than three and 1000 heads are better than 100. So if you have advice, tips, etc, PLEASE share, I'd love to hear it! Or, just tell me what you think so far!