For the Birds

Birds are everywhere. They're totally "in." And no, Spring has nothing to do with these kinds of birds.

In the last 7 days, I've visited approximately 3 different Home Goods stores in the state of Maryland. My trips proved unsuccessful, though, as I walked out empty-handed all three times (Bobby is so thankful). I've been looking for finishing touches to Baby Barrick's nursery: an ottoman/foot stool for our rocker, a green bookshelf, or any other simply irresistible pieces that would just "complete the room." No luck. But I have noticed, that tons of decorating stores, like Home Goods, Pottery Barn, even West Elm and Crate & Barrel all have tons of "bird" accessories. I know this, because I pick up every piece of bird decorating as soon as I walk past it...knowing full well that I have PLENTY of bird accessories in the nursery. I'm trying not to over-do-it.

Regardless, the nursery is still a work in progress, although most of the way done! The last big projects are the Gallery Wall (waiting on 2 adorable paintings from Aisle to Aloha Studio, and a trip to IKEA for some frames), and a custom bookshelf, which Bobby is going to build as soon as the basement is finished.

To tide you over until the big reveal, I took some pictures of little pieces we've been putting together over the last week or so. I will be so happy once this is complete! I love seeing my vision come together for our little guy :)

(Sources for all items will have a link by the pictures.)

P.S. Bobby said I had to give up ETSY for lent. Shoot.

CHECK! Made the crib skirt using THIS tutorial. The fabric is actually a chevron print, but it didn't show up as I expected as the crib skirt. Humm... it's ok, will have other elements in the nursery using this fabric. Since, you know, I ordered WAY too much. The fabric can be ordered through HERE.

The Crib is actually from Wal-Mart, and I LOVE it. It was one of the only ones I could find that had a modern shape like this, within a good price point, low-VOC paint, non-collapsing sides, and made of hardwood. Bonus: it also turns into a toddler bed! I know I've mentioned it before, but the crib can be found HERE.

There is a story coming about this rocking chair. But I can't seem to finish it without crying! Pesky hormones... anyway, the chair is from my late Grandmother - MomMom Markel. We had it completely restored, and this piece and fabric was actually the central piece for the whole nursery vision. The chair was obviously not store bought, but the Fabric came from Calico Corners HERE (until March 26th, they are having 20% off all items!!!).

The wood stump you see next to the chair is actually a side table! I LOVE, love, love it, as it makes me feel like it came right out of the woods for a very rustic feel. I love the contrast of the rustic against the modern. The Stump side table is from West Elm and can be found HERE. I snagged it for a steal when they were having a sale a few weeks ago. WIN!

The rocking chair is called a "Gooseneck" Rocking Chair. And now you know why... they don't make things like this anymore. Thank you, PopPop, for sharing this heirloom. I love that I can tell baby where it came from :)

Ok. I die. I saw this mobile on Etsy and I dropped a major hint to my sisters that this would be a fabulous baby shower gift ;) They took the hint and my awesome sister-in-law (who blogs HERE about my adorable nieces) got it for me for my baby shower last weekend! I have been bugging Bobby all week to put it up, and today, he finally got around to it! I love the colorful birds (more BIRDS!!) and the rustic, little nest above them. This mobile and others like it can be found on Etsy HERE.

The mobile is hung near the ceiling fan, so when it's on, the mobile will spin on itself! Adorable, yes?!

I know you've seen this picture before, but there are some new elements added. First, you may notice the flag bunting/banner. I just made this last week and yes, it has the baby's name on it and YES, we will be putting this away when company comes over, and NO, we are not telling people Baby Barrick's name (Aunt Josie - you can guess all you want, but I'm not giving it up!). The banner I made myself out of burlap and some kind of hemp-looking rope, some fray check, puff-paint and fabric glue. It's going to be hung on the gallery wall whenever that goes up. Of course, you can always buy something like this on Etsy, but this project cost me a grand total of $7.35.

You will also notice the awesome lamp on the dresser (the dresser will be moving into the closet and will be replaced with a green bookshelf... to be built later). The lamp was also one of the original pieces that I saw for the nursery vision. My maiden name is "Wise" and I can remember my grandmother having all sorts of Owl memorabilia around her house. I wanted to include something that would nod to Baby's Mama's background. I found the lamp from West Elm as well, and 2 more of my awesome sisters bought it for me as a baby shower gift last weekend - thanks guys! The lamp can be found HERE.

The little birds nest holder to the right of the lamp will be holding blocks that spell out Baby's name. I don't have them yet, but I have my eye on THESE from Etsy as well (shocker?!). The birds nest holder came from Pottery Barn, which I can't find online. I bought it in-store a while back.

I know you've already seen these, but I seriously love them. They are one of my favorite parts about the nursery. I had them custom-made from THIS Etsy seller by just contacting her about making something like this.

Last weekend, my family and Bobby's family threw my a baby shower! It was so nice to see everyone, and they certainly did shower me and Baby Barrick with tons of goodies. I've spent all week washing clothes, blankets, towels, sheets, etc and today, have been putting everything away. It's amazing to think that in just a few short weeks, these clothes will be outfitting one adorable, little boy.

And yes... I've already started packing my hospital bag (which is also my diaper bag - Kate Spade - my only designer item. Seriously. I bought it for a STEAL on Black Friday...like 60% off). They don't have my pattern anymore, but they do have the same style bag HERE, just in different colors/patterns. I keep having these dreams that baby comes really early and I'm not prepared. Having clothes in the dresser and my bag packed has put my mind at ease for a while. Now I'm just anxious to meet him!

We should be posting another picture this week - 34 weeks on Tuesday! We forgot to take one this week. Oops! Ok, now off to do more baby growing!

32 Weeks and The Crib

Well, look... blogging two days in a row now! This must be a new record for me. Please don't expect this in the future.

Today marks 32 weeks of pregnancy for me and our little Peanut. I'm still feeling great, although it's getting increasingly hard to bend down and pick things up, get out of bed, put on my tights in the morning, pick up Killian, etc. The anticipation of meeting our little guy is just growing, as it's almost every day (it seems) we're adding something to his nursery! Bobby has been such a great sport, and while he contains his excitement pretty well, I can tell he's just as anxious as I am. I think he's secretly picked out all the Oriole's games he wants to take the baby to this summer.

With each kick and nudge in my belly, the due date grows a little closer, making birth more inevitable. I guess it was from the beginning, but still... I've enjoyed every second of this pregnancy, and I just wish I had more time to relax and sit still for more than 10 minutes at a time. While I feel like I've been pregnant forever, I also feel like I have no time to get done what I need to.

Anyway, 32 weeks and going strong. Peanut is a healthy, little kicker, and everything is right on schedule. Praise the Lord.

Today, Bobby and I came home from work to find a giant box blocking our front door. YAY! We both knew exactly what it was: our crib! Thanks to my awesome parents for such a wonderful thing...and a reality check that we are actually having a baby. Yikes. With no hesitation, we hauled (and by we, I mean Bobby) the box upstairs and got to unpacking. The crib was SO simple to put together, Bobby did it in about 30 minutes. It's rather sturdy, too. We picked the Olivia Crib from Walmart (yes, Walmart) because it was made of solid wood, and low-VOC's...important for toddlers who chew on furniture. It also had some great ratings and a good price for the style of crib we wanted. It sits low to the ground, and has fixed sides. It also turns into a toddler bed when that time comes - lots of great features for the price. It fits perfectly in our little nursery, and I just love how the little birds are flying around the crib. I'm going to call it our little songbird cage from now on...since, you know, it sorta looks like a cage.

What do you think?? Next up: to sew a crib bumper and crib skirt. I'll be doing a little tutorial with some guidance from THIS awesome blog.

Bobby is going to kill me for putting this picture up. That's what he gets for never looking at the camera and me forcing him to do so.

30 minutes later....

To The Wall

I keep having this dream. I'm 32 weeks pregnant (just about) and the baby comes... THIS WEEK! Waking up suddenly in a cold sweat is not an easy task when pregnant. I can no longer get out of bed gracefully. I walk past the nursery every morning on my way downstairs, only to have it haunt me.

Thankfully, we're trusting in the Lord that His timing is the best, and He will take care of us no matter what happens or when our little Peanut arrives. My fears are set at ease.

So, this past weekend we kept putting things together - cleaning, organizing, etc - in our little man's nursery. In a frantic fit of "oh-my-goodness-I-have-nothing-ready-for-this-baby," I even went and bought some new pajamas and a robe to wear in the hospital...and a few little outfits in Newborn size for the Peanut to wear. I even began packing the hospital bag. Just in case. You may call it neurotic, but I call it nesting on high gear. So there. Ha.

Our latest project was a big milestone in my vision for the nursery. I had been eyeing a particular wallpaper ("Woods" by Cole&Son), but I know Bobby would never go for it...and my mother would probably never speak to me again ("Do you know how much WORK wallpaper is to take down?!"). In going with our "look" of Woodsy Forest, I had to find something similar.

I scoured Etsy forever, trying to find something that wasn't overtly "baby." The cartoony stuff just isn't what I've had in mind for this nursery. So I had to find something a little more realistic and modern. I came across a wall decal that I LOVED from an Etsy seller (it can be found HERE), so we bought it, stared at it for a few weeks, then decided to put it up. Today.

We were a little intimidated at first, but it turned out to be pretty easy. Since they aren't supposed to look perfect, it made the job a whole lot easier...for Bobby. For those of you interested how decals work, here's a little tutorial for you.

First, each part is labeled, and each tree was cut up into sections. I cut out each section and kept the pieces with each respective tree. I cut out the "free" pieces (birds, extra leaves, squirrels, etc) and left those for last.

The decals are cut out of vinyl, and sandwiched between contact paper and contact paper backing. The vinyl is sticky on one side so it stays on the walls, but still peels off without taking the whole wall with it. We started at the top and just worked our way down. Bobby was very meticulous about making sure each piece lined up exactly so there were no gaps.

Once the decal was on the wall, the kit included a "squeegee," in which you smooth out the decal and apply it firmly to the wall. You would get rid of any air bubbles this way. After smoothing out the decal, just peel off the contact paper and voila! The decal is on the wall.

We had no problem with the decals peeling off. We also had no problem moving the decal once it was on the wall. If you do need to move it, they recommend using a Blow Dryer to heat up the decal and reapply it. I would not recommend doing this more than once though, as it will lose it's stickiness the more you mess with it.

Once all the trees were on, we then placed the loose leaves, birds and squirrels. I love how they are flying around randomly, and how all the birds are different... more natural. You could order the decal in any number of color combinations, but we chose white and brown to go with our nursery colors. I love the contrast!

And... the finished product! Overall, it took us about an hour and a half from start to finish. WAY easier than wall paper, and in the end, you get a similar effect! The crib will be on this wall, so Peanut can spend his waking hours staring at the birds and falling leaves!

What do you think?

Baby on the Brain

It's sinking in. As I slapped some "green," Non-VOC paint on the walls on Saturday, it was hitting me. He was going to be here soon, and painting his room made it more real to me. I had Dave Matthews on my Pandora station, and he was kicking away....probably soothed by painting movements. He likes music. Perhpas he'll be a Dave Matthews fan like his Mama and Daddy. Bobby hung the curtains the next day once the paint had dried, and I just watched. He was so eager to be doing such a simple task - only because he was doing it for his son. The whole time we sat in his room, Bobby and I talked... "what if he comes out with blond hair?" "What happens if he gets in serious trouble as a teenager?" "How do we develop a strong relationship with him without losing respect as a parent?" We bounced around life questions for our sweet boy that afternoon.

When the curtains were hung, Bobby brought up the freshly painted, vintage bassinet, given to us by my mother. We put it in the room and both stared down into it for a while. I think the same thing was running through both of our minds: in less than 3 months, that bassinet will be filled with the soft coos of our little, baby boy.

Cue freak-out/nesting stage of pregnancy. I bought 8 gallons of paint today in response.

No less than 10 minutes later, we were rattling off lists of things that need to get done before the baby gets here. I promptly hopped on Etsy (aka the black hole of the internet - it will suck you in) and bought some fun graphic prints to hang on the walls, along with a major element to the nursery to be revealed soon!

For now, here's a little taste of the nursery so far, along with my 27 week belly shot. I kick myself for not doing a more creative belly-growing-documentation, but I just ran out of time! Plus, I can only get Bobby to use the little point-and-shoot and that little baby doesn't do much. Oh well. Enjoy!

Ok... so a little growth in the belly area over the past 2 weeks, no?

Our (now) former guest room. Bobby calls it the "White Room with Black Curtains." Who can name that song?! Don't worry that the bed is still in there (Bobby made it, by the way). Once the basement is finished, it will be moving down there to go in the new guest room.

...aaand from the other direction. There's a walk-in closet through that door on the left.

After the first coat of paint (Have I told you how much I love Benjamin Moore paint? It's worth the extra cash. I've sworn off both Lowes and Home Depot paint after using Ben paint. This color is "Timothy Straw" for those wondering. The White color is called "White Chocolate." I must confess that I picked this color solely on the fact that it had "chocolate" in the title.)

Curtains are hung - (Pottery Barn's Linen Curtains in "Natural)

That's all for now! I got several items shipped in from Etsy this week, but we won't hang them until the furniture is in place. We are in the process of refinishing some dressers to go in the nursery. More on that project later. Now all that's left are a few odds and ends, a bookshelf and... oh yea, a CRIB, which will be going against the green wall. It's so fun to see it all coming together!