Norah's nursery

I started this blog right before Jacob was born in 2011, with the intention of writing about motherhood, Jacob's development, family goings on, AND running - my used-to-be favorite hobby... pre-kids. Postpartum weeks turned into months and then a year...and then I was back at the starting line. Not the race starting line, the pregnancy starting line. This time with our beautiful Norah. Being pregnant and having both of these babies has been the BIGGEST blessing. I wouldn't trade it for a Boston Marathon bib. But I do plan to get back into Mommy's favorite past time eventually.

With Jacob, I ran until 34 weeks gestation. With Norah, only 24 weeks (and mostly just jogging). And so I spent the last 16 weeks of my pregnancy developing a new hobby - sewing! All thanks to my incredibly crafty and creative mom, or Buela as Jacob calls her (short for Abuela, which is grandma in Spanish).

After searching for baby girl's bedding on line and in stores and not finding anything I really loved, I decided to try out my hand at making it myself. For that however, I would need to learn to sew. And to that point, I hadn't sewn a thing in my life. But my mom had. She was an expert seamstress back in the day. And I knew she could teach me! She is, after all, a teacher! Buela let me borrow her sewing machine (then bought me my own for mother's day - now how many mom's get their daughters a gift for mother's day?!? I'm one lucky gal, that's for sure). She taught me all of the basics and some special tricks, too. She helped me learn how to measure out fabric, how to get out of bind when you order too little (oops! beginner's mistake), how to thread the needle, and how to start sewing.

Mom held my hand through making the crib skirt and taught me what I needed to know about making the sheet, working with elastic and slippery minky fabric. She got me out of trouble when making the bumpers - which at first pass were too long for the crib! We spent many a night up until the wee hours of the morning on her weekend visits, but finally, finally were able to put together the bedding. Then I moved on to the changing pad cover, roman shades, and a little box for diapers for the changing table. The week before Norah was born, Mom helped me finish off the decor with little Etsy-inspired fabric flowers to hang on the wall.

I ordered most of my fabric on-line from either moderncloth on Etsy (LOVED her - superb customer service!) or Fabric.com. I also visited City Craft on Lovers Lane in Dallas, and found an awesome selection there as well.

Tutorials I used:
crib skirt - Domestic Adventure
bumper -  sew4home
piping for bumper - Elle apparel
crib fitted sheet - prudent baby
roman shades - shanty to chic
changing pad cover - prudent baby
fabric covered box on changing table - make it - love it (I found this to be the hardest tutorial to follow and my box did not come out all that great. Just an FYI  - I think easier tutorials must be out there!)

I repainted an antique dresser that has been in Jim's family for three (now four!) generations using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint that I found at a local shop that has become one of my new favorite little boutiques (The Plaid Peacock). Knobs and drawer handles are a combo from Hobby Lobby and Target.

I found inspiration for the canvas painting above Norah's crib on Pinterest and I used some stencils I found at Hobby Lobby to make it a little easier on my not-so-artistically-inclined-self.

The butterflies above the dresser/changing table are from Hip and Clavicle (another Etsy great!).  

The book shelves are from IKEA. And the fabric flowers on the wall above the floor shelves are...you guessed it...Etsy-inspired. :) Mom found the flower tutorial and adapted it to meet my picky needs. I think it's from this site - http://news.holidash.com/2010/04/23/mothers-day-corsage/.

 

 

I can't say that I've mastered the art of sewing by any means, but I have found a new hobby that I truly enjoy. Mom told me it would be addictive. And it certainly has been. Mama's usually right ya know.

I also decided to make some things for Jacob's room - more on that in another post as soon as possible!