Before and After Pictures...

The art of making a house a home sometimes requires that things be custom made for a space. I recently picked up an old wooden cabinet that had been converted into a play stove for kids. It was still in pretty good shape but definitely needed a little TLC. Josh took off all the old hardware, gave it a good sand, painted it, and added new door handles to match our little girl's room. Finally Josh rummaged through his pile of miscellaneous junk to find the perfect oven temperature knob. Along with that, Josh also made a grocery cart. Can you see it parked next to the newly renovated stove? I think a matching fridge is in the works for Christmas. Shhh, don't tell.

Here are the before and after pictures...

To make a room stand out as being unique, and truly belonging to you, you need to find a way to customize it with things that are truly one-of-a-kind; those things can be made by your or by others.  This is the secret behind the art of making a house a home.  In my daughter's room for example, items have been made by 16 different crafters and artists...

Print by Artist Charley Harper

 

Fairy furniture by Utah Artist Debbie Schraman

Custom made changing table by Great Grandpa Korte who specializes in woodwork

Hand-knit blankets, custom made by Great Grandma Korte and Grandma Kathy

Handmade one-of-a-kind quilt, custom made by nine of my dearest Utah friends

Custom made bed-skirt, curtains, one-of-a-kind machine appliqued quilt, and baby mobile all made by me.

All these items, perfectly mixed together like a good recipe, make Monet's room a genuine masterpiece.  Not only is it aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but it's also warm to the heart because the items have been made by real people.  As Monet get's older, I'm sure the collection in her room will grow.  Like a fine wine, a house becomes a home over time.

Sewing Ideas for Baby - Some Practicial, All Beautiful

If sewing is therapy to you, like it is to me, I encourage you to create some needed or not so needed items for the little love in your life. 

Let me share a few of my baby-inspired-creations with you.

Here is the Easter dress I made for Monet...

Can you believe she's only 9 months old?

Below is a before picture of a mobile we received as a gift for Monet's room before she was born.  I didn't like how it clashed with the room's decor so Josh and I gave it a makeover.

Before...

After...

As an infant, Monet absolutely loved this mobile.  The dark color of the birds and the way they contrasted with the rest of the mobile really helped in catching Monet's eyes when she was young.  Monet would lay under this thing and coo sometimes for ten minutes straight.  This was a lifesaver on those mornings she woke early and I was scrambling to get things ready so we could get out the door on time.  And even though she is older now, she still enjoys it!  I think she likes it because she knows it was given some TLC from Daddy and me.

Dear friends made this beautiful blanket, each making one block of the quilt.  I will always cherish this gift deeply, and as Monet gets older, I will tell her stories about each block, along with the kind thoughts and past stories that go along with the person who created it.

Currently I have a friend who is pregnant and she too has decided to do a blanket like this for her baby.  This is how she described it in an email, "Rather than color schemes or themes, we'd like to have a quilt made by all the people we love and who we know will be part of our child's life.  It is something that could turn into a bed time story, telling him about all of you and covering him up with your love."

What a beautiful idea!  Yes?  

Some other more practical ideas include: burp cloths, towel with a hoodie for after bath time, boppy cover, crib bedding, sling, diaper bag, etc, etc, etc.  Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby: 24 Easy Projects for Newborns to Toddlers is a great place to start if you would like to try some neat baby projects. 

How about you?  What have you made for your little loved one?

P.S.  Wednesday, March 31st, is the last day to enter our "Baby Giveaway".  Share the love and spread the word.  You can enter up to five times.  Good luck!

Amazon Help - Great Books For Parents and Child

Mommies and daddies to be, here are a few great parenting books I would physically toss your way if this computer screen would cooperate and let me.

The Happies Baby on the Block By Harvey Karp

The No Cry Sleep Solution, Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night By Elizabeth Pantley

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two By Doctor Sears

Do you like to sew?  Here's a great book to keep you busy while you await baby's arrival.

Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby: 24 Easy Projects for Newborns to Toddlers

What are you going to read to baby?  How about this...

Hush Little Baby By Sylvia Long is a great book.  I read, or rather sing, this book to Monet every night.  It instantly calms here.  I love watching her legs kick with excitement and her face light up with a smile, as I rock and sing with her in the evenings.  This book is absolutely precious!  It's a different variation from the original song.  It focusses not on buying baby stuff, but rather comforting baby with banjos, hummingbirds, and much more.  Check it out. 

I also love Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes By Helen Oxenbury.

Children's books are my absolute favorite.  I could list another fifty or so, but I'd rather hear from all of you.  

What books do you love to read to the little love in your life?

Product Review - The Products and Companies I Now Love! + The Unmentionable Must Haves

I Heart...

Avent bottles over Born Free because while they are both BPA and leak free, Avent has fewer pieces.

I Heart...

Miracle Blanket - Baby Swaddling Blanket because this blanket is a life saver when it comes to calming a baby and getting sleep.  This swaddle blanket, unlike others, keeps your baby swaddled.

I Heart...

Oxi Clean because one scoop in your wash, one spray on a stain, and your clothes stay looking new, stain free.  It really is amazing!

I Heart...

iHome alarm clock speaker system because it makes for a great white noise player now and this hip product will grow and still be useable as baby gets older.

 I Heart...

Medela because they are and have always been BPA free.  Also, their pumps are affordable and reliable.  Mommies, you need a breastpump if you plan to nurse your baby beyond 3 months.  Monet, who is nine-months old, has had no formula, ever, and I contribute that to this wonderful company.

I Heart...

Lansinoh products because they truly are the best.  They are a little more expensive, but trust me, the other products are inferior.  All breast-feeding mommies need Lansinoh's Lanolin cream, milk storage bags, and disposable nursing pads.  I've tried maybe seven different brands of nursing pads and Lansinoh's nursing pads are the only ones that don't leak.  Thank you Lansinoh!

What products and companies do you heart?

Tackling the Superstores - What really needs to be on your list?

I was genuinely scared before Monet was born, and it was this factor that caused me to act a little crazy sometimes.  Josh had his moments too.   See our former blog post for an explanation.  Things That Cause Spousal Arguments - Registering For Your First Baby.  I was scared about what kind of mother I would be.  I was scared about the balance I knew I would need to find between work and being a mom.  I was scared that when she arrived, if I wasn't perfectly prepared, my life was gong to spin out of control.  And in hind sight I guess that was all kind of silly.  It's funny how we're capable of figuring things out once we are placed into those types of situations for which we try to prepare but never succeed.  Sometimes the moments we most fear, turn into the most beautiful things in our lives.  Monet is a perfect example of that.  


So, before I get to the list of things you really need, I first want to give you a few rules to consider while you await the little ones arrival.


Rule #1:  Relax, you will be amazing parents.  And all the questions that are stirring around in your mind, well, don't worry, time will answer them.


Rule #2:  Realize that you don't really need a lot of stuff.  Some of it is nice, but when the baby is first born all she/he needs is mommy, mommy's milk, diapers, blankets, simple clothing, and a place to sleep.


Rule #3:  If you are overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you feel you need, or don't really know what to try, consider buying second hand at stores like "Kid to Kid", or on sites like craigslist.  Also, reach out to friends and family to share baby items.  Often we can't predict what we need since our personalities and the babies personalities sometimes decide that for us.  Some babies love swings, some babies don't.  Some babies like to be rocked, some don't.  Some mothers swear by slings, and some babies can't stand them.  And the list goes on and on.  So, maybe try things out before buying them new.  


Rule #4:  Keep in mind all the free samples you will be receiving.  Use the samples and see what products you like before you buy more.  I bought stuff with the mentality of wanting to feel prepared.  But in all reality that idea is just a myth.  Monet ended up being allergic to the big bottle of lotion I purchased for her.  I should have just used the samples and bough more after I realized what I liked.


Rule #5:  If you think dual purpose for some of these items, it may help to eliminate needing so much stuff.  For example, you don't need a co-sleeper and a pack-n-play.  A lot of the pack-n-plays are set up to also be used as co-sleepers or bassinets.  Another dual purpose item for us was using receiving blankets as burp cloths (once they got dirty, obviously they went straight to the hamper). 


Rule #6:  KEEP ALL RECEIPTS AND DON'T THROW AWAY PACKAGING UNTIL YOU ARE SURE YOU PLAN TO USE AND KEEP THE ITEMS!  I wanted to get the baby's room perfectly put away so I often took things out of their packaging assuming I would use them.  In hind sight, this was a huge mistake.  Can you imagine if we had a boy and not a girl like we had planned?  Once Monet arrived, I then realized all the stuff we didn't need, and I wished I could have exchanged those opened unwanted items for things we actually needed.


Click on the Target's baby registry checklist link to find a very detailed list of items superstores like Target recommend you get.  I'm going to take their recommended list and personalize it some with the experience I have had with being a mom.

This is a product made by Safety1st, it's called the Ultimate 30-piece Nursery Collection.  Thirty!  This is actually a pretty great kit, better than most I've seen, and yet at the same time it's a great example of a product most parents think they need, but in all reality don't.  I have not found myself using hardly any of the items that are offered in this kit. 

(Note: I'll talk more about specific product brands and make a few recommendations tomorrow.)

Here's a generous yet practical list of what you need...

• crib 
• crib mattress 
• waterproof fitted mattress pad (2)
• fitted crib sheets (2)
• co-sleeper 
• blankets (3) 
• changing table 
• waterproof changing pad cover (2)
• changing table pad
• baby monitor 
• hangers 
• rocker
• boppy with cover
• night-light 
• white noise player or music player
• bodysuits (6) 
• sleepwear (3)
• booties/socks (4-5 pair) 
• receiving blankets (3-6) 
• swaddle blanket
• infant or convertible car seats 
• extra base for infant car seat (if multiple people will be driving baby around on a regular basis)
• diaper bag 
• stroller or travel system 
• infant carrier or sling 
• baby swing 
• jumper 
• books
• few simple toys
• bottles, bpa free (2-4)
• bottle nipples, bpa free (size 0 for infant and size 1or 2 for when they get older)
• pacifiers, bpa free (2)
• dishwasher basket 
• breast pump 
• nursing accessories (pads, cream & storage bags) 
• bibs (3) 
• burp cloths (6-8) 
• diapers/wipes 
• diaper rash cream 
• infant bathtub chair that collapses
• baby wash/shampoo 
• rectal thermometer 
• brush
• comb
• baby tylenol
• vaseline
• stain remover
• gift cards, gift cards, gift cards...

So what did I forget?  I would love to hear from other mothers, fathers, grandparents... what would you recommend all new parents must have?

Etsy Direction - Baby Style - Five Things All Mothers Should Have

Today I'm going to point mothers, expecting mothers, people who know expecting mothers, and people who know mothers... Ok, who doesn't this apply to then?  I'm so silly.  

Anyway, here is todays Etsy direction...

Amazing shops, full of amazing baby goodies.  Here are five things all mothers should have...

1.  Cute Onesies

Tadpole Creations

Katy and Zucchini

2.  A "Lovey" blanket

The Pat-a-Cake Baby

3.  A One-of-a-kind Baby Quilt

Blue Elephant Stitches

Moon Spirit Studios

4.  A Hip Diaper Bag

Affordable Bag Designs

Tippy Thai

5.  Cute Shoes

Fancy Sebianna

These items are just the tip of the iceberg.  You really can find so many beautiful and one-of-a-kind items on Etsy.  

Things That Cause Spousal Arguments - Registering For Your First Baby

A friend contacted me the other day in hopes of getting some help with the overwhelming feat of registering for one's first baby.  I had to stop, sigh, and take a deep breath.  First off, let me say that I was and still am very happy to help; I might even make a series off this topic.  Thanks for the inspiration Janelle!

When I was brainstorming this idea, I'm pleased to report that a flood of happy emotions overcame me.  I truly enjoyed the trek down memory lane, thinking about my little girl when she was just a baby, and remembering what it was like to anticipate her arrival.  And oh, the day she was born; there is nothing more monumental and memorable than giving birth to a child.  Hold on, I need to get a kleenex...

While I strolled, rather skipped, down this wonderful memory lane, out of the blue a negative realization hit me and stopped me in my tracks.  I think I should share an experience with you due to both the humor and ridiculous nature of the event I'm referring to.  I wonder if I'll regret this once I hit "Publish Post".

Let me first say that my husband and I rarely argue.  I am very lucky in the fact that my husband is not a fighter.  Our personalities complement each other that way.  Rather, Josh is a very mellow, keep your cool, hold it together all the time, kind of guy.  I wish I was this type of girl.  I am a red-head and the stereotype of red-heads being a little fiery unfortunately rings true for me.  Along with the before mentioned hair-color, personality situation, I am also known for being a bit perfectionistic, and I plan every detail of my life out, sometimes even planning bathroom breaks on those days when time is really crunched.

So I think I've set the stage, my fiery, red-head, everything has to be perfect, pregnant, and hormonal personality, makes the trek out of the city to Target and Babies R Us with Josh's mellow, every things going to work out on its own so why plan ahead personality.

Before we departed for our adventure, you should know I was actually excited, we were going to make a date of the evening.  Soon reality hit and we both realized that what we were going to be doing really wasn't fun.  An hour into trying to stay patient with my husband who kept responding, "I don't know, this looks good", as he walked down the store aisles shooting every item he saw with the barcode lazar gun, ignoring the fact that we actually needed to chose just one type of bottle from the 20 brands in front of us, and oh wait I think I might have a coupon for this one brand, but let me first look through this giant stack of coupons, and oops, I dropped them again, but I can't bend over, and I just wish my sister would answer her phone so she could help us, and Josh would you please stop doing that, and agghhh!!!  That's pretty much how the evening went.  Four hours later we were driving back home in silence, and all you could hear was the vicious marking of my pen on the registry print-outs in my lap, crossing off all the duplicate baby items that Joshua had registered for in addition to the wine glasses, the mens underwear size L, the flat-screen TV, and the $600 vacuum.

This was our experience.  And it wasn't until I actually experienced being a mom that I realized how silly I was to get so upset, to worry so much about things that didn't matter.  So I'm writing a series of posts on this topic, in hopes of helping to ease the frustration and stress of registering for your first baby by suggesting both the beautiful and the practical.

A Series for the Expecting Mother and People Who Know an Expecting Mother...
Day #1:  Etsy Direction - Baby Style
Day #2:  Tackling the SuperStores - What really needs to be on your list?
Day #3:  Product Review - The Products and Companies I Now Love! + The Unmentionable Must Haves
Day #4:  Great Books For Parents and Child
Day #5:  Sewing Ideas - Some Practical, All Beautiful

Today, I leave you with some images of Monet's Nursery...