a peek into the nursery

hi friends! happy monday!
 i thought i'd show you some tidbits from what we now call the baby room. it used to be my "craft room" although a pretty sad amount of crafts went on in there ;) the closet still houses tons of craft supplies though, as well as my etsy clothes and a lot of other random stuff because i'm a packrat.


i did all this over a month ago. i think i will move things around a little bit when i see how we end up using this space when our baby is actually here. obviously she won't really be sleeping in here for quite some time, but we'll play in here and get ready for the day and read and rock and nurse.
that's why i'm okay with calling it the "nursery" although i never seem to say that in real life?

that little dresser was a thrift store find. 
it is kind of a funny story. i had wanted a white dresser, preferably vintage, preferably cheap, to also serve as a changing table. i found one in folsom at the thrift store that had eight drawers and was the right height. but it was so big, and i have no cell phone anymore so i couldn't call my dad and ask for help with his truck, so i just kind of left it behind. this was at about 4:30 in the afternoon and the shop closed at 5. next morning i had a bee in my bonnet, called my dad, and he was all prepared to go down and pick up that dresser with me. at 10:00 when the shop opened i called them. the dresser was already gone! sold! i could not believe it.

not to be derailed, i started the rounds of my placerville thrift stores. tried the bigger ones on the edges of town first, to no avail. no white dressers, no even remotely cute dressers. then i walked into the main snowline hospice, my handy dandy most local hometown thrift, and there was a sign that said 50% off furniture...okay, good start.
now i walk in the door, and bam. there's this cute little kid size dresser, only it's wood with a brown stain.
well, i'd paint it. i decided immediately.
and at the half off price i had enough "points" to get it for free! dropped off the receipt at my dad's who promptly went to pick it up in his truck. an hour later i was sitting on the kitchen floor with salvaged half empty paint cans from my garage, painting this sucker up! darin and my dad were all, noooo, this is a big project, you have to sand it first, there's a finish on it....blah blah blah. i ignored them and just painted away. and i think it came out pretty cute!

my mom and jack got us the little handmade folksy rocking horse in a tiny country town.

knick knacks: the little bunny lamp was a thrift store find some time ago, long before i was ever pregnant. the vintage diaper pins came from my boss celia. and you've seen those little booties before :)



got the bookshelves both from the thrift store where joey works. did you know joey works at a thrift store? it is all the family i tell you. i'm going to dedicate a post to that topic someday.
anyway....lots of books already! those are another thing i've been collecting forever....
mom's and babe's both.


darin really wanted a chalkboard wall. he has some big plans....
the poms i made for grandma's 100th birthday party.


all the cats LOVE the nursery. i let them explore as much as they like for now, in order to know that it is a non-threatening and safe space. eventually some spots will become more off limits but for now it is their playroom!


i've had these little embroidered circus animal framed pieces since my early 20s. saving them for the perfect room!

this hansel and gretel lamp was in mine and addie's bedroom all through our childhood. see that little night-light in the well? that's why i can't sleep in the pitch dark to this day. i feel very nostalgic about this lamp.

baby crib with thrifted vintage quilts. my sister-in-law amy got me the vintage crib bumper and matching quilt (inside) years ago as a gift. the wall hangings are from the early 50s, i thrifted them many years ago, and i thrifted the afghan and vintage quilt hanging over the sides. everything has been lovingly washed and is all ready for baby!

tiny dresses all in a row.


 i made the bunting out of fabric scraps i've collected.


this rocking chair has been in our family since i can remember. i think it was my grandma's or even great-grandma's on my mom's side. i used to rock joey in this when he was a little baby and i was his very doting older sister. i have spent some nice quiet moments rocking, rocking, rocking, and talking and singing to my own little baby growing within.

i hope to add a few more circussy, cheerful elements as time goes on. 
i reeeealllly want a big striped rug for the floor.
at least for now it is nice to have a space dedicated to baby, and all the great stuff our friends have so generously passed along to us!

Comments

Lou Smith said…
This is so lovely it brings tears to my eyes - what a wonderfully blessed child to have you two beautiful people as parents! Much love and best wishes - Lou xx
Lucy said…
I LOVE this 'nursery' – so warm and cosy and colourful, and to have all the special pieces from your own childhood as well – truly lovely! I have been quietly enjoying your pregnancy compendium from afar – one day I hope to be able to put all your insight and experiences into practice – it is a true joy to read. Lots of love from the UK xxx
anne said…
i love it! there are so many awesome elements. the dresser is perfect! the chalkboard wall is rad and all the quilts, lamps and decorations make it the perfect vintage nursery. that's so cool also that you have things from your own room as a child and family heirlooms like the rocking chair. i think baby will enjoy being in this fun, cheery place.
Missa said…
Aw, so wonderful Heather! The dresser looks perfect with the adorable bunting the way you painted it and I can't wait to see what Darin has in store for that chalkboard wall. She's already got bookshelves full of good books and a closet full of pretty dresses, what more could a girl need?! How fun :)
Andrea said…
ooohh! i love that you are sharing this with us :) i just peaked some of the posts I've missed and you are really showing now, aren't you Ms. Heather? How fun!

I love what you did with the nursery. Love your story about the dresser too. I am totally stealing that idea. It's such a great one! I had this convo with my Mom b/c our new place is quite small, so a baby would be likely half in our room and half in the office. She insisted that in the 60s & 70s you didn't need half the crap that women convince themselves they "need" today. A changing table was one... in her words "we just threw you on the floor or on the bed..." it was hilarious. I like however that you have multiple uses for your little dresser. Very cute!

PS: Thank you also for your words of encouragement on the defense!
so cute! my nursery quickly became a laundry room when i realized that i was never gonna get any sleep unless i kept the baby in bed with me at night. i LOVE the wall decorations and the little dresses all in a row. sooooo cute. i remember my cat sleeping in the bassinet that no one ever ended up using either. hopefully your baby will be one of those babies that lets you put them down when they are sleeping. neither of mine were. the bassinet ended up being where i threw all the shit i wanted out of sight. damn babies and their not doing what i wanted them to do. i love the bookshelf too. she's going to be such a lucky little gal.
and yes to andrea. all you really need are diapers, clothes and milk or formula depending on what a person decides to do for feeding. all the rest of it is nice, but man do they make it a big consumer frenzy with this ridiculous "layette" recommendations. oh, and baby carriers. you need those too if you ever plan on doing anything like dishes or laundry or anything requiring two hands.
check out rockingbabyslings.com
babyhawk.com, ergo.com and mobywrap.com. i had all of those and i really and truly needed and used each one at different ages and also at different times of day and for different activities.
Missa said…
Haha! Brigit, that reminds me, Clover's crib ended up functioning as a halfway house for my thrift scores, prior to finding them a permanent home :)
Cel said…
I think that closet full of pretty things to wear is my favourite part :P And the fact so much of your stuff is thrifted or from family. That chalkboard wall was a great idea, you will all enjoy the heck out of that! A friend of mine painted a whole room with chalk paint and it's mad fun at parties :P
lasophia said…
Screw sanding, the dressser came out beautiful. Such an original room. I love the camel piece. Your baby is going to love that room.
Whitney said…
Love the bookshelves!
Violet Folklore said…
So so so so so so so so so cute Heather!! Oh my goodness, every element is wonderful and whimsical and imagination-provoking and just oh-so-sweet. I'm in love. Killer score on the dresser too!

And yes, I actually did know that Joey worked at a thrift store- but I was sure surprised when I found out by walking into it and seeing him there! ;-)
Amy Beatty said…
lovely!! what a dream room. i want to move in. I love how it is colorful but not shoot your eye out crazy bright. I love all the little fixings that make it so magical and cozy. It is perfectly charming!! Not all that surprised coming from you though :) this is why I have been dying to see what you have been doing. I just knew you wouldn't be able to help your self and nest away.... now I just need to w a i t until the sweetest spirit enters this world!! Good thing I have Joey and Ems wedding, but after that there is nothing but BABY waiting. Its gonna kill me, maybe you first though. Love you so much. xoxo
Heather said…
Wow Heather it looks awesome! So sweet love everything the chalkboard wall is super cool that will be a lot of fun :) your nesting has been very productive. I remember setting up Noah's nursery he was my first born. I had something going on with dolphins lol he had lots of dolphin things in his room hehe...It is a very special time enjoy. The dresser turned out so cute! happy nesting! Love Heather
mo marie said…
oh Heather this is such an exciting and precious post. I absolutely LOVE the baby room. You did such an amazing job on the color choices for that dresser. I was just loving it all up. What a fun and sweet room it is. I can just imagine you sitting in the rocking chair singing your sweet little girl a lullaby. I loved the chalkboard wall and the cute poms! and I know all those little dresses are probably too cute for words. Happy spring and happy happy pregnancy lovely beautiful lady!
Zoe said…
This is such a beautiful room :)
Tina Dawn said…
I love your nursery and especially the darling little lamp. What a lucky little girl she is. Love T
Jacqueline said…
ADORABLE! I love that everything has a vintage & homemade feel...such a cute & special place! My cousin gave me a low, long dresser for Alice and we use it as a changing table. Seriously so handy...it's the only thing we use in her bedroom!

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