Nursery Sources

I've put together a list of where everything in the nursery is from. I incorporated as many DIY projects and gifts from family and friends as I could to make the room very personal.

Crib: Pottery Barn Kids, gift from Matt's parents
Crib Sheet: Pottery Barn Kids
Crib Skirt: Made by me using this pattern (Fabric is Kaffe Fassett GP125 Tile Flower in Pink)

Blankie: Made by my mom
Sleep sheep: Gift from my parents, Pottery Barn Kids

Bird Mobile: Made by my mom and me
Nursery Rhyme Prints: Free printables from Sprik Space
White Frames: JoAnn Fabrics

Neutral Storage Bin: Home Goods (filled with handmade blankets and quilts from family and friends!)
Changing Table: Pottery Barn Kids, gift from Matt's parents

Lavender Storage Bins: Target (unavailable online)

Cherry Blossom Canvas: Made by me, tutorial here (inspired by PB Kids)

Changing Pad Cover: Made by me (tutorial here)
Burp Cloths: Made by me (tutorial here)

Bookshelf: Old, from Target

Chalkboard: Gift made by a friend

Bird and Bird House: Baby shower decor, made by my sister 

Fabric Rose Headbands: Made by my mom and me

Knit Birds: Hand-knit gift from my Aunt Liz
Stackable eco-friendly cups: Gift from a friend

White frames: IKEA

Shelves: IKEA

Pink Vase: IKEA

Floral Print: IKEA

"I am a child of God" Print: free printable

Framed Burlap and Fabric Bird: DIY
Sophie the Giraffe: Gift from my parents (available on Amazon)

Glider & Ottoman: Craigslist find (similar at Babies R Us)
Afghan: Hand knit by Great-Grandma Aiken
Children's Bench: Made by Great-Grandpa Bothun

Curtain: IKEA (still looking for the link to this one)

Let me know if there's anything I missed, and I'd be happy to provide the source!

+, Lauren Aiken

{DIY} Painted Frame

Today I have a quick and simple DIY project to share! 

You know those times when you're shopping for something specific and just can't find it? Sometimes it's easier to just make it yourself! I was looking all over for a pretty white frame to complete a small gallery wall in our bedroom and just couldn't find what I was looking for. I found a frame at Walmart (about $7) with a pretty design, but it was gold, which doesn't go with our room at all.

DIY Painted Frame

Start out with a frame - old or new.
(I always get so excited to start a project that I forget to take a 'before' picture!)

Paint a coat (or two) of your color choice. I used a spongey brush and white paint that I had on hand. Spray paint would be even faster though!

Leave it like this, or choose an accent color and add it to your frame for a little interest!

Ta-da! Much better :). 

And if I get tired of it later, I can always spray paint the whole frame like my friend Jodi did in this post!

Happy Wednesday! Are you working on any little DIYs this week?

+, Lauren Aiken

{DIY} Cherry Blossom Bird Canvas

Today I am thrilled to share a DIY nursery project I have been working on! I mentioned this painting from PB Kids on Pinterest several weeks ago and last week showed you this preview. Typically I am a slow decision-maker, especially when it comes to decorating. However, I fell in love with the cherry blossom bird canvas right away and thought I could maybe make something similar to it myself.

The chalkboard frame was a handmade baby shower gift from my sweet friend Michaela.

Let me start off by saying I don't consider myself very creative/artistic. I'm good at mimicking projects or combining ideas to create something, but I could never just sit down and make something out of nothing. I have also never painted before, but by taking this project one step at a time, it was actually pretty easy. So next time you see something you would like to make but don't think you can, go for it! You may be surprised with the final product!

Materials

Canvas ($7.99)

Acrylic paint (about $5 for 3 new colors, plus others I had on hand)

Scrapbook paper ($0.35 per sheet)

Assorted paintbrushes/sponges (I had these already, but somewhere around $2.99)

Paper glue ($4.50)

I got all these materials at JoAnn's. The canvas was 50% off and the scrapbook paper was 40% off.

First, I used a sponge to paint the entire canvas. I used one purple acrylic paint and just added white to it to get variations of lavender. I also used a pearlescent paint to add a little shimmer in places.

Next, I added a few branches using a small paintbrush. 

Like I said before, I am far from an artist so I first made templates of the birds and then traced them onto scrapbook paper. I just freehanded the cherry blossoms. 

Cut out several birds and a bunch of flowers from scrapbook paper (alternatively, you could use fabric or other materials) and place them on the canvas. I played around with placement a bit before I glued anything down.

Next, add detail like the birds' legs, beaks, and eyes. Glue everything into place.

And add little highlights of paint where you want more color. 

It's not perfect, but overall I am really pleased with how it turned out!

Happy crafting!

+, Lauren Aiken