Baby Week :: Nursery DIY & Organization

Here's a few of the DIY and organization projects that we've completed  for the nursery, thus far.

1. Anthropologie inspired Zinc Letter:
I love these gorgeous Anthropologie zinc letters, but when I went to the store I realized it was too large for our bookshelf.  So I decided to try DIYing it myself.  This was actually the easiest and fastest nursery project to date.  All you need is a paper mache letter (try Michael's, Joann's, or Hobby Lobby), acrylic black paint, Folk Art Metallic Pearl White acrylic paint, a brush, and a paper towel. 

Directions:  Paint a layer of black acrylic paint, the messier/more uneven the brush strokes the better.  I waited a couple minutes to let it dry.  Then squirt the metallic pearl white acrylic paint onto the letter.  Using a crumpled up paper towel, swirl the paint to completely cover the letter.  Alternatively, you could also paint on the metallic pearl white, and then go over it with the crumpled up paper towel.  You will end up with uneven coverage and lines/streaks, which you want because it imitates the zinc letters perfectly.  Let it dry, and voila!

2. Birth-Day candle: So not technically a nursery DIY, but I wanted to celebrate his birth-day at the hospital.  Hopefully, we will have time on our way to the hospital to swing by Sprinkles and pick up a cupcake!  I used Modge Podge to cover the zero candle, that I picked up for a dollar at Party City, and coated it with blue glitter.  I can't wait to celebrate with our little man!

3. Diaper Caddy: In anticipation of B's arrival I put together a diaper caddy that we could move from room to room.  This way we aren't always running into his nursery/guest room every time we need to change a diaper, and it's perfect for his late night diaper changes.  I packed the caddy with: diapers, extra onesies and pants, burp cloths, wipes, diaper rash cream, and anti-bacterial gel.

4. Monogram pillow:  This pillow is probably my favorite nursery DIY project.  I used left over fabric to cover an IKEA pillow whose cover our dog decided to eat.  Using HeatBond, I was able to make a suitable cover, as I can't sew to save my life.  I Googled monogram fonts and found this template, which I then used to create his monogram by selecting his initials.  I then traced the monogram onto grey felt, cut around it, and attached the felt onto the pillow with HeatBond.  I think it's the secret southern girl in me, but I'm obsessed with monograms, and I love the way this pillow looks in his crib!

5. Breast feeding basket: Based upon recommendations from other mom's I put together a little basket to have at our bedside for all those late night feedings.

I stocked it with: a water bottle (to always stay hydrated), burp cloths, pacifiers (in case he's not hungry and just wants to suckle), nipple cream, cooling breast pads, a nail file (so as he's distracted I can tackle those long fingernails), and Baby Daze (to keep track of his feedings).

6. Animal Jars:  So I've seen these little guys everywhere and I knew I wanted some for the nursery.  I purchased these cute mason jars and plastic animals at Joann's.  First, I super glued the mason jar lid to the rim, and then super glued the plastic animals to the lid.  Finally, I coated the lids with 2 coats of Rust-oleum's Metallic High Shine Finish spray paint.  Once they were dry I filled them with cotton swabs and pads.

Screen Printed Bibs in an Apothecary Jar:  I saw this adorable old doctor's apothecary jar at HomeGoods and I knew it was coming home with me.  It was the perfect place to store the burp cloths I screen printed using my silk screen kit, click here for the tutorial.

7. Diaper Drawer Organization: This is what I call nesting to the max, is it sad that organizing diapers makes me happy?  Using this IKEA drawer organizer kit, that I picked up on one of our many IKEA runs, I made the first drawer of his dresser/changing table into my own personal happy place.  Now everything from diapers, to wipes, anti-bacterial gel, baby lotion, diaper creams, and Vaseline has its place. 

8. Gallery Wall:  We created a gallery wall to hang over the day bed in his nursery.  Once we decided on a layout, we used left over/crumpled up packing paper, to trace the outline of our frames.  After we nailed in our picture hooks, we ripped off the paper and voila, no messy scratches or multiple holes in the wall.  Seriously, this method is genius!  We completed the gallery wall with one of our maternity photos, his ultrasound picture, added some personal artwork (see our Etsy store), the shells/guestbook from our baby shower, and added a place holder for his baby footprints.

9. Closet Dividers:  Being a little OCD I wanted to make sure all of B's clothes were appropriately labeled.  I would hate to find a cute outfit only to realize he's too big to wear it.  I found these closet organizers at the Container Store, and designed these labels myself.  Then I just cut them to size and used double sided tape to adhere it, that way if I want to change the design or sizes later on as he grows, I can.