Easy Monogram Wall Plates

I picked up these oval wooden plaques yesterday at Wal-Mart for 97 cents a piece!  I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to do with them, but they looked like they had the potential for cuteness. :)  While Will watched the Clemson game last night (or should I say "argued with the tv?"), I found some ribbon in my stash of scraps and settled in at the kitchen table to see what I could do with them.  I decided that a simple monogram was best and they turned out even better than I expected!  I printed out the A and C in Curlz Font in Word and then used that as a guide to sketch out my letters.  Applied the ribbon with a hot glue gun to the back after my paint dried and that was it!

(And as a side note,  I finally made a decision about the colors for Anna Cate's bedroom...Pink and Green are the winners!  I was planning on sewing her bedding myself, but all of the fabric I was finding was either too babyish looking (think cheesy pink elephants) or looked like it belonged in a teen's room.  I figure I have plenty of time to play with bold loud colors in her room as she gets older, and I've realized that I do want her to have a soft and girly bedroom while she is still so young (especially since she didn't have a girly nursery).   I was getting very frustrated with my lack of options until last Friday when I happened to make a quick run into TJ Maxx (one of my most favorite places to shop!) and found some green and white bedding that was just PERFECT!)

I've just started sewing the bedskirt and curtains and the walls still need to be painted -- which I'm having to rely on Will for because I don't think I'm allowed to paint (?) -- but here is a little preview of what is to come until the room is finished! ;)

Inspiration for Nursery

This is the nursery that I'm currently thinking of trying to replicate for the new baby.  It is so hard trying to create a space that could be for a boy or girl that isn't cheesy.  It seems that all of the gender neutral bedding out there isn't my taste.   And I'd like to keep the space very soothing.  This nursery bedding is by Serena & Lily, and although it is for a boy, I think it could go either way.  The polka dots add a bit of girly flair. :)

Our rocker is blue and white striped, and the wall color in the room is already a very pale blue (which I had planned on keeping).    I know I won't be buying the bedding as a set, but maybe if I can find fabric that is similar enough, I could recreate the look.   Hmmmm....we'll see what happens...

  

Copycat Artwork

I found this print online while searching for artwork for children's rooms.  I loved the little birds and all of the colors in the print, but didn't love the price tag... $108!  I was about to move on in my search when the pattern on one of the umbrellas caught my eye.  It was VERY familiar and the more I studied the print I realized...this was made from scrapbooking paper!  The very paper that I had sitting in a book in my sewing room. 

Of course I had to try to see if I could replicate the print.  So while Will watched the BCA Championship football game last Thursday night, I sat at the kitchen table with my paper and all of my paints.  

I am pleased with the results, except that you can see the seam in the paper (look in the green grass area to the left).  So if I do decide to use this in Anna Cate's room, I may try to recreate it on canvas, which would make it much easier to paint the background on.  

More Room Ideas...

Just cataloging the ideas I'm finding online that I'd like to incorporate into Anna Cate's room.

I love the teal and yellow used in this bedroom by Garnet Hill and absolutely adore the pop of color from the lanterns hanging over the bed:  

Another bedroom with lanterns:

I love the mirror used in this nursery.  I actually have a frame very similar to this one that I found at a consignment store.  I had painted it white and was planning on using it to frame a chalkboard to hang over the desk in my sewing room.   If I can find an inexpensive source for a mirror, I may just use it in her room to go over her dresser.  Very feminine indeed!

The last picture is from Martha Stewart's website, and I love the paint color on the walls.  I'm thinking of going that way in the nursery...

Inspiration for Bedroom Design

Long time - no post! Now that the holidays are behind us and I'm over the yucky sick phase of pregnancy, I'm feeling inspired to get busy creating again!  My two big projects right now are pulling together a girly room for Anna Cate and decorating the nursery for the next baby. 

 I just can't decide on the look I want for Anna Cate's room.  Do I go with soft pastel pinks and greens or bolder fabric that I can pull lots of color for her room?  One on hand, I think a bedroom should be soothing and relaxing, yet children's spaces should be colorful and bursting with creativity and imagination.  If I could just make a choice on my fabric, then I could start pulling all of the other details together.  Oh decisions, decisions!  

Here are some photos I've found online that have inspired me.   

If I do end up upholstering a headboard for her, this is the fabric I've found that is my favorite so far.  I could pull other fabrics with pinks, greens, and yellows to make her pillows, bed skirt, and curtains from.   

I also know that I'd love to incorporate some sort of shelving to display all of her favorite books.  The covers are too cute to have hidden on a bookshelf and I'd love to incorporate them as artwork in her room. 

 One last idea is that I plan on making a bunch of dolls and have them sitting on her shelves and bed.  The books and dolls alone will add punches of color by themselves, so maybe I should go with bolder colors. 

So stay tuned...I've got lots of fun projects to get started on once I decide on my colors! :)