Nursery Time!

I haven't posted anything meaningful in a while. I guess I've gotten kind of weird about the blog world. I still love to read others' blogs and enjoy blogging as a means to keep up and maybe learn a few things. But I'm wary about how people can become absorbed in how they portray their life to others via popularity contests through the internet... I think it can easily lead to pride and the secret hope that others will put you and your portrayed life on a pedestal, and I'm not really into that. But despite it all, I'm sure I will get over my blog funk soon and promise I will write a meaningful blog when I do (there's been one I've been meaning to write but just haven't gotten to it yet).

For now, I'll entertain you with another baby post :)

We weren't going to have an actual nursery... until we figured out how we we could move our desks out and rearrange some things to work the spare bedroom into a bedroom/nursery. After a few weeks and some creativity, I am very happy with the result! I spent less than $150 total on this little makeover, and the really cool part is that actually includes the baby furniture, typically the most costly purchase of a nursery! Most of it was homemade projects that I'll share below.

The picture was the 'inspiration'. I found it at Hobby Lobby for $15!

Then I bought some matching fabric (loved the colors and pattern- so fun) and my mom made the curtains. Here's a close up of the pattern

The crib/changing table and this beautful rocking chair I got off Craigslist for only $50. What a great find!  The bedding and baskets are shower gifts.

This is a piece of wall art I found at The Christmas Tree Shop (who would have known) for $19 and I thought it was darling.

I found the wooden flower dowels from Hobby Lobby for $2 each, painted them white, and nailed them to the closet doors. The dresses were both loving baby gifts worthy of display (one is handmade!)

Here is our extra bed and dresser (had these since graduation, from Ikea). My mom made a matching pillow and I created the wall art by framing pieces of scrapbook paper. I used PaintShop to scribble out the middle picture because I stenciled in a letter and didn't want to give away our potential baby name! :) The outside frames are old white ones I already had. The middle frame is a black metal one that I spray painted.

These are some shelves Ben put up from Target. The vases are leftover wedding center pieces (we got them at Ikea for $1 each). I filled them with flowers from Hoby Lobby.

This lamp shade is homemade, too. I found a nice lamp with a white fabric shade at Target for $16 and then covered it with a half yard of fabric.

This is a nursing pillow one of the doctors gave me from the hospital where I work. All I needed was a new cover that matched ($10). The little sock monkey is from Walmart ($3).

 I have felt so blessed and loved ... my wonderful mother-and-sisters-in-law hosted a beautiful baby shower for Ben and I and my mom came all the way from Florida, my sister from Boston, and my step-sister and friend from Atlanta. It was so much fun. I'm so thankful for two amazing families.

Ben was such a trooper :)

The six girls from my small group at church had a little baby shower that was just beautiful during one of our usual group meeting times (there are 3 of us pregnant which is so exciting). Also, my wonderful coworkers totally shocked me on Thursday with a surprise baby shower. I was blown away by their thoughtfulness. I don't have pictures, but they had a beautiful little cake that said "Welcome Baby G." I don't deserve any of it but feel incredibly blessed.

That's all for now!