Monday, May 16, 2011

DIY Photo Plaques

For Mother's Day this year, I decided to get crafty and make some photo gifts of little man for his grandmothers.  My inspiration were these DIY Picture Plaques:


I fell in love with this project when I saw it, and the link above provides very detailed instructions on how to do this. 

Here is how my project turned out:




Some notes on my project:

*I, too, used the website http://www.picnik.com/ to edit the photos.  I LOVE this site and I'm sure I will be using it quite a bit going forward!!
*I initially wanted these to be 8x12, however the only way I was told I could do this would be to print them 4x6 or 5x7 and blow them up.  I tried this and the pixelation was too grainy for 8x12, so I stuck with 5x7 photo plaques.
*I had my husband cut the wood for me to mount the photos onto.  It gave him an excuse to use some of his tools :)
*I didn't use the brushstroke mod podge, but I think the regularly mod podge gave somewhat of a  brushstroke effect.
*I applied 4 coats to mine and then attached sawtooth picture hangers that I had purchased at Lowe's.


This makes for one-of-a-kind, affordable, and beautiful wall art, and the possibilities are endless!!



















Monday, April 11, 2011

ABC Art

Alphabet decor is a great way to teach and reinforce the ABC's to your little one, and it is oh-so-cute as well!

Name Your Design has mod alphabet wall art such as the two above.


The above custom ABC art is from Trendy Peas.


Or, for a DIY alternative, try this Alphabet Art project from Design Mom made from an alphabet stencil and fabric scraps:



I think this is such a cute idea as well.... hang alphabet cards as if they were hung on a clothesline:

                                                                                                                                                                                 

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Children's Book Storage

I have so many books for my little one and I'm having a problem with figuring out the best way to store them so that they are readily accessible to him once he is a little older and can look at them himself.  We have a house on the smaller side so space is a concern as well.  Here are some options I have found in my search:


Land of Nod has this nice bookcase that doesn't appear to take up too much room, plus I like the fact that the books can be stored facing out so that my little man could see them better.


Jonti-Craft has a big selection of both one-sided and two-sided book stands such as the one shown above.



R-Wire Works has this creative cat book stand, plus a dog one, as well as boy and girl book stands.


Gressco sells this super cute elephant book display, plus they also have something similar in a crocodile.



Also from Land of Nod, these shelves are very sleek and clean-lined and would look great in a more modern nursery.  They also look to be a fairly easy DIY project for a crafty woodworking person.


Again, from Land of Nod, this one is probably my favorite.  I'm going to see if hubby can build book bins similar to this (but longer) in little man's room.  Will keep you all updated on the project :)





Friday, April 1, 2011

DIY Wall Art Projects

If you are looking for ways to save money in the nursery or just want to create some unique pieces for the  nursery, here are some fun DIY wall art projects:

Learn to make these cute collages here.  The link includes templates for the owl and the elephant, but you don't really have to use a template... the possibilities are endless with a little imagination!


Chalkboard paint is a great way to incorporate your children in creating their own masterpieces for the wall.

I love the idea of framing pages from classic children's stories:



You can also try making your own letters from scrap booking paper and cardboard or heavy card stock:

DIY instructions for this found  here.




















Wednesday, March 30, 2011

These nurseries are a HOOT!

Owls seem to be a popular theme lately, and rightfully so!  There are so many cute owl accessories and decor available.  Check out these owl-themed design ideas:



This super cute owl bedding is from Litto Kids






This adorable "owl"-phabet poster can be found on Etsy


I'm loving how the white "pops" on the colors chosen for this nursery:










































Monday, March 28, 2011

Nature themed Nursery

 Earth tones and rustic furniture allow for a great nature-themed baby room in which your child can grow.

 














Here's the link to a cute DIY project to create a bird & branch mobile like the one pictured below:


I love this rustic crib for this theme!


Click on the link below this pic for a DIY tutorial on how to create this log cabin effect on your walls.




Cute nature inspired wall art from amenity






Thursday, March 24, 2011

Securing Furniture to Prevent Tip-over

Meghan's Hope is a site dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of furniture tip-over.  I know we all want to protect our little ones the best we can, so please read these tips from the site for how to secure your furniture and televisions:

Secure ALL furniture with shelves, drawers, and doors to the walls (into a stud if possible) with an appropriate device.
It doesn’t matter how tall or short, heavy, stable, or well made it is. 
Be sure that what you use can hold the weight of a fully loaded piece of furniture.   You may need more than one or two straps.
You can use any of the following (easily found on line if not in a store near you):
Safety First Furniture Wall Straps
Mommy’s Helper Furniture Safety Brackets
Kidco’s Anti-tip furniture straps
Quake Hold TV strap, computer strap, big or flat screen TV strap, and appliance strap.  They also have putty and industrial Velcro.
Parent Unit’s Safety straps and topple stops (great for TV’s/computer monitors)
“L” brackets
Earthquake cables
Secure ALL TV’s to the wall and/or to the table/entertainment center on which it sits. 
Don’t forget to secure computer monitors.
Place TV sets and computer monitors on low, stable units as far back as possible, then secure them to the wall and/or to the surface on which it sits
Do not place anything on top of the TV, out of reach is not out of mind!
Place heavy and most often used/played with items on the lowest shelf and in the lowest drawer, putting progressively lighter items in drawers from the bottom up.
Place any items that may be of interest to a child within easy reach so they are not enticed to climb for it or reach for it. 
Do not place items on top of dressers that children may want to play with or that they use.  It only tempts them to climb to reach them.
Do not place items you do not want your child to have within their sight but out of their reach (or even out of sight and out of their reach if they know where you put it) as they are likely to try to climb or reach for it.  Remote controls and toys/games/videos/DVD’s are items kids frequently reach for on top of TV’s. 
Don’t assume simply telling your child not to climb/reach is enough, it isn’t.  Even if they can tell you what they are not supposed to do!
Don’t assume your child will remember the dangers even if you’ve told them to be careful.  Play is the work of children.
Think outside the box.  Consider other things in your home that could be a risk and should be secured.  Perhaps a sculpture or artwork, vases, or large decorative pieces on the floor or on a stand, table, or shelf.
Don’t assume it can’t happen to you, it can, and in a heartbeat.
Don’t assume your child is too old.  Every child under 10 needs to be protected.  Adults and the elderly have also been seriously injured or even killed by fallen furniture or televisions.
Make sure everywhere your child spends time (day care, grandparents, etc) is also a safe environment.
Do it right, do it now.  The next child saved could be yours.
Even if your furniture and TV’s are secured, check the safety straps frequently to be sure they are still secure.  They can come loose or plastic cable ties and parts can break over time, especially if exposed to sunlight or increased pressure.


Click on the link at the beginning of the post to view Meghan's story and to view links to other safety resources.






































Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Loft Beds for Kids

I think loft beds are great... they allow for more storage space, stimulate children's imaginations and encourage them to play in their rooms.  When my brother and I were little, my dad built us both loft beds.  We both LOVED them!   

Here are some innovative loft beds I've came across:

This loft bed would be great in a small space.  The pull-out desk and the trundle bed are unique features.


The step side feature and themed designs of the below two beds are very unique and creative.


This modern style would be great for a "tween" bedroom.

I really like the stairs on the below loft bed as opposed to a ladder.  This would be safer for younger siblings who want to climb into older brother's or sister's bed.


 Can you imagine being able to get out of bed using a slide?  That would have been AWESOME when I was a child (hey, that would be awesome now as an adult!).

  

This is a great idea for a teenager's room where space is limited... a daybed below with lofted couch-style seating above:

The pull out drawers integrated into the stairs in the below loft allows for creative additional storage:
    
 The idea of a rock-climbing wall is a good idea for a bedroom that doubles as a playroom:
  

http://www.sweetdreambed.com/ also has some absolutely amazing custom loft beds.... from castle beds to cottage beds to tree house beds, and many more.  Check out their site!















Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Zoo-themed nursery decor

My inspiration for this blog post are these zoo-themed blocks I found in a magazine.... these would be great as nursery decor, and double as toys for your little one once they get older!















Here are some super cute and creative nursery ideas and accessories to follow this theme:

  
This mom draped burlap from the ceiling to give the appearance of a tent.  She also painted the mural herself using patterns.  Click on the "source" link below for how-to's on projects in this nursery:


I love the modern wall art in this nursery... this would be a really fun DIY project! 

In the above nursery, I love the way the artist incorporated the animals into the letters of the baby's name!



These large 3D wall stickers are wonderful!  Gives the feel of a mural but takes a lot less time:


 


I came across this bedding and love it for this theme!  The animals' eyes are absolutely adorable.







These bookends would also look great in a zoo-themed room:




































Search Amazon.com for zoo nursery decor