0 Baby Talk

With as many coats of paint slapped on these walls and fixer-upper projects that I’ve tackled around my own construction site, one DIY I’ve yet to participate in is nursery prep. Now that my name will proudly boast an “Aunt” in front of it in just a handful of months, I’m pumped about getting down to baby decorating business with my preggo sister.

Jessica has been busy picking fabrics for weeks, and yesterday she finally gave me permission to come over and help her brainstorm/tear to shreds the what-was-once-a-guest-room-but-shall-soon-be-nothing-less-than-baby-wonderland. We measured, we schemed DIY projects, we referenced Pinterest, we plotted how to knock off precious but entirely too expensive curtains…


Not much to see in this before pic, but one thing is for sure. Baby already has a killer Container Store closet. #jealousauntie

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1 Three Things

1. This video serves up a tremendous amount of evidence that I’m no whiz with the camera.

2. My preggo sister is not drinking wine. She just felt like fancying up her water intake.

3. Shrieking (verb): To utter a high-pitched piercing sound or words, especially as an expression of terror, pain, or excitement. From what I know about childbirth, this definition more than summarizes this video of my sister & brother-in-law’s baby gender reveal…

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0 Advertising Dollars At Work

I’m not afraid to admit that on more than one occasion commercials have reduced me to nothing more than a 5’9 puddle of tears. Especially when socked in the guts with one minute and three seconds of preciousness. Exhibit A…

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0 SUPER big news…

Oh, friends. My dearest dreams have come true. I am going to be an AUNT! My big sister has a bun in the oven, and I could not be more excited…yesterday, I was given official permission to open my big blogging mouth and let the cat out of the bag. Thank the good Lord. This girl was about to explode!



AND I’ve already had the chance to sneak into one of the doctor visits. We don’t know the gender yet, but I’ve already seen her and she is perfect…I just know she’s a she, but more importantly this DIYer is ready to get cracking on the nursery.

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2 Reader Redo: Owen’s Dresser

Remember this furniture flip game plan I whipped up for little Owen’s room a while back?…



Feeling a little lifeless, this dresser was in need of a fun pick-me-up fit just for a new baby boy. A few coats of paint and new knobs were all this guy needed to be up and running again…

 

I had a blast putting together this game plan for Owen (and his mom, Amy), so I was super pumped when the after shots appeared in my inbox. Brace yourself for a major dose of cuteness…



Knock my socks off. How adorable is that? Great job Amy and congratulations on the arrival of your sweet baby boy!

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11 Furniture Flipping: Amy’s Dresser

Not long ago, Amy’s friend Kelly submitted Amy’s soon-to-be-with-us son Owen’s dresser to LTHL for a furniture flip—are you still with me? Long story short, I was thrilled for the chance to wrap my mind around baby Owen’s dresser. Not since little Dean’s miniature chair have I had the opportunity to whip up a nugget-sized creation.

Before we get down to all of the glorious rehabilitating, let’s revisit Kelly’s email…

Okay, crafty lady! My friend Amy has an old dresser she wants to redo for her nursery (she's due in October). She has bedding that has lots of different prints and colors and wants the dresser to be fun. She's been checking out LTHL and loves your ideas!

Craving color? Coming right up! And it has to be said that I could barely contain my enthusiasm after catching a glimpse of little Owen’s bedding. Dance moves were involved…


So cute, right? Let’s get down to business.

First up, a quick sketch to get my creative juices flowing and a feel for the details of the piece. Right away, I loved that the dresser had vertical stripes similar to the crib frame and zebra print bolster.



Next up, the color palate. With so many fun and vibrant colors to pull from the bedding, this part was a cinch.

Helpful hint: Take the colors used in the fabrics in your room and water them down a bit for furniture. A bit more subtlety will tie the furniture with the feel of the room without becoming a blinding eye sore.
 

Now, what goes where…

A quick outline for the how-to…

1 & 2: Dresser Base

Paint the top of the dresser & every other stripe on the door front white and keep the base of the dresser a cool cucumber.

3: Cabinet Doors
Paint the remaining stripes (those that aren’t already dedicated as white) a light shade of blue and frame the outside with a slightly darker shade of the same hue.

4. Drawers & Pulls
Using the same lighter shade of blue, give the drawers a good coat or two and finish with eye-catching pulls, like these guys from etsy.



A big thanks to Kelly, Amy & baby Owen for allowing me to take a crack at this one. My whimsical furniture craving is more than filled thanks to your nursery needs. Happy painting!

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