Not so costly Curtains

Judging from the number of inspiration boards I've made lately, I have a little too much down time at work. Now that we're settling into the new bedroom, though, I've realized the roman shades don't make the room dark enough at night for me, especially in winter, when the trees don't block the commercial lighting in the neighboring parking lot.

I've been traveling 'round the 'net looking at curtain options and I'll tell you what. Curtains are expensive, and I get tired of them too easily to invest $300 in a single window.  Theoretically I could make some myself, which I haven't ruled out, but here are a bunch of store bought options that could work without adding to my to-do list. Let it be known, however, that $45 for a single curtain is well out of my price range. Whatever happened to sets of curtains, people??

Vintage-style curtain options:

Pottery Barn Mini Stripe Drape

in Raspberry $44.99/panel, sale price, 84"

World Market Victorian Garden Jute Curtain

$34.99/panel, 84" length

Ikea BJÖRNLOKA

$14.99/pair ($30! for

both

windows!)

Modern curtain options:

West Elm Scribble Window Panel

$39/panel, 84" length

Crate and Barrel Norah Curtain Panel

$59.95/panel, 84" length

Ikea MALIN TRÅD

$39.99/pair

And a few affordable Target options from their new

Threshold

line. These are all under $30 per panel. Still, 4 panels and $120 later, I'm not sure I love any of them that much.

In the meantime, I'm thinking hanging a sheet with some safety pins will work just fine. Do you see a pattern or style that stands out?

Fox's Lair

We have a clearance sale going on in the shop until mid-April, when things will be shut down so we can welcome kiddo #2 into the world with minimal distraction. Check it out, all the 8 1/2 x 11" prints are marked down to $10! In order to set up our new bedroom, I've disassembled the computer and printers to move to the old bedroom. I print each larger print upon order, which means the larger prints won't be available again until some time after Fox's arrival.

Interestingly, we haven't created a nursery for him. We worked and planned so much for M's nursery and never really used it as one, it just functioned as a studio decorated as a nursery. Carried over from that experience, we haven't felt the pressure to get a space ready for him. Since finding out #2 is a boy, I've been sorting and purging the attic full of M's old clothes and nursery items, keeping those that are unisex. Thankfully we're all set with clothes, sheets, and toys.

After a little time over at the Lay Baby Lay blog, though, I realized there was something missing. One thing I wish we'd gotten for Mabel's nursery was a comfy, sleep-in-able glider/rocker and ottoman. The Eames rocker just didn't work out for those exhausting nights of rocking M to sleep...I can only imagine how nice it would be to snuggle up into a cushy arm chair rocker and lull myself to sleep snuggled up with both of the little ones.The dream of a modern, clean lined glider prompted me to pull together a few ideas for Fox's room.

Now, if I sell a measly (ha!) 50 prints in the next 5 weeks we just might make that dreamy glider happen!

a. Little Castle Charleston swivel glider; b. Brainstorm Print and Design Plant and Animal print ; c. DaVinci Jenny Lind Crib (we've since passed the crib M used along to her cousin, looks like it's pretty easy to find a similar one on craigslist); d. A + B + C pillow from Land of Nod; e. shaggy orange rug we already own; f. And just for the sake of pulling the look together, swatches of brown (gray or navy would also work) gingham crib sheet and chambray for the crib skirt. I have no real source for those, I just like the pattern and color plus we have an abundance of white crib sheets.

Co-Sleeping Transition

The room as it has been for the past year.

We've been working on making Mabel's room a bigger part of her life. Although we've had it decorated and set up for her, we have been co-sleeping since she was about 4 months old. We started transitioning M to her own bed about 8 months ago, then the first trimester icks kicked in and I wasn't up for any sort of change. As my belly goes from giant to gargantuan, and since we went from king sized bed to queen, sleeping has been a little tight. Now we're back at transitioning, which hasn't been particularly easy (neither C nor I thought it would be). I've been sleeping in her room, so I'm still close by, but told her at the outset I would sleep in there 8 times. Other than that, we've been trying different tactics to make our little one feel more like her room is her special place.

One of my first thoughts was to let her pick out the sheets for her bed. I started looking around at sheets online, but decided I wanted to feel them before splurging on sheets. I also couldn't imagine a good way to present the options to Mabel in a way that felt tangible. By the time we'd receive the sheets she would've forgotten all about them, and the novelty of making her own choice would've long lost its sparkle. 

Garnet Hill Painted Ponies ($68 for twin sheet set); Land of Nod Field Guide ($69.00 for twin sheet set);  Circo Pretty Horses ($17.99 for twin sheet set at Target);  Land of Nod Princess and the Pea ($79.00 for twin sheet set)


M and I took a trip to Target and made it to the bedding section just in time for an emotional collapse of her 3 year old spirit; sobs followed by a determined declaration that she was not going to sleep in her own bed.  I realized the choices were far too overwhelming, the change was too forced feeling, and we went home without the sheets. Fast forward to yesterday: another trip to Target. I had it in my mind that we were going to pick out a set of solid sheets for her bed and use fabric markers to make them her own. Straight to the solids, I asked if she liked the pinkish color they had, she said she wanted the blue ones. Blue it was! En route leaving the sheets, though, we saw another set with a cute little horse pattern and she said she wanted those, too! Success!

We're 3 nights into the transition, and it's been tough on all of us. I know co-sleeping is a touchy subject and everyone has a different opinion, but there are many different approaches to parenting. Plus, as my dad says, "There are enough ways for everybody." So yeah, we're finding our way. 

Progress

We picked up the new bed this weekend, but since we're still switching the studio over from this room to the former bedroom, we haven't finished painting the floor...which means no rug in the new bedroom yet. Still, it's progress.

I had a chance to work on the knot painting again, while the little one tested out the new bed (nap time!) but made it too mauvey/muddy for my taste, so let's just consider it still in-progress. 

Simply Simple

For about a week I was reading The Architecture of Happiness, but after a slow day at work, clicking through a long list links I read about the book me to Simplicity Parenting. The closer we get to 32" due date, the more we've been trying to create a comfortable transition for M. That book sounded like just the approach we could use: one of emotional support, without trying to control the natural emotions M is feeling. I bought the book and have been reading little blurbs to Charlie ever since.

A few points that stuck out: 

• Don't let your fears for your child outweigh your hopes.
• When it's hardest to want to show your child love is when they need it most. (And when it seems nearly impossible, call their favorite aunt, grandma or grandpa and get them to list all of the things that make your child so especially lovably special until your ears fall off from sweetness. Then go love on that kid.)
• Sometimes we all need to be grounded. . . as in "getting our feet firmly back on the ground" and away from excess stress, stuff, and whatever else overwhelms.

PS: I think Bluebird Baby covers simplicity parenting at its best, lovely pictures and all.