Nursery complete!

By Published On: August 6th, 2014

I think one of the biggest perks of having a […]

McKinley_BeasBed_8-6-14I think one of the biggest perks of having a baby is all the crafty stuff that comes along with it, especially getting to decorate a nursery. Maybe my passion for sewing, glue guns and paint runs a little too deep, but it’s all I could think about when Andy and I decided to start a family. Boy or girl? Circus mod or Parisian chic? Funky bowties or ruffly diaper covers? The list of potential projects is thrilling!
Then, I got pregnant. And I got busy … like, really busy. I felt like I had forever, but between work, travel, and the hecticness of the holidays, it was practically Bea’s due date before I knew it. We were cleaning out the old guest bedroom just weeks before her expected arrival.
I’d gotten the basics—a crib and rocker—and luckily my mom and sister helped me paint an old dresser. It became clear that making the curtains, linens and all the artwork was not going to happen, so I did the smart thing: I turned to Etsy. I was in the middle of a nesting frenzy when Bea came three weeks early.
And here I sit today, with a 15-week-old baby and Pinterest boards full of untouched ideas. No handmade hair bows, an unfinished quilt, patterns for cute little dresses and DIY instructions for a whole pile of darling toys. My growing list of projects is both inspiring and depressing. However, I can finally check one thing off the list: Bea’s nursery.
I got it put together to my liking this week. Teetering on a step stool during naps, I made my way around her room hanging polka dots, garlands and pictures. Bea has no idea anything is different, of course, although the gold dots do catch her eye and elicit the occasional squeal. But I know it’s done, and that’s a very satisfying thing indeed!
McKinley_BeasDresser_8-6-14Aside from the contentment of sitting in a completed nursery, it’s also motivating to know I finished a project post-baby. Finding time for crafty things is hard with Bea around—I can’t just sit down and work on something from start to finish. Plus, it seems counterintuitive to drag out art supplies when I spend the rest of my time trying to avoid messes. But making things makes me happy, and even though my days of binge crafting are over, I’m now armed with the confidence that I can complete a project over the course of several naps.
I may actually dust off some of those Pinterest boards and spray paint alphabet magnets or convert a nightstand into a kitchenette. Or maybe I’ll just try to finish Bea’s quilt in time for her first birthday. And if that’s the case, it’s time to get to work—I know how fast nine months can fly by!