Bedroom madness

I have fallen in love with this bedding - totally head over heels. Want it. Want it. Want it. [Not for me, obviously]





I can see my little boys in this room, with this scheme, and these planes.

So, why not just buy it?

Weeeelll, for a start, they're not quite in big beds just yet. But I can deal with that. I can put it away until they are! Or I can double it over until then.

Secondly, it's from Pottery Barn Kids, who don't ship internationally (what is it with American stores that won't ship out here?). Again, I have this one covered as I have a lovely friend in NYC who is ready willing and able to take delivery and then post it all on to me.

And finally - this is the big one - it will cost over $750, and that's without getting it to Australia. Yep. More than $750. Kapow.

It's too expensive isn't it. Is it? I can't justify it. Can I?

I have been telling myself (and T) that I'm going to just make it myself instead. But I already know that tracking down the fabric, cutting it all out, sewing, quilting (even on the machine), applique, etc will take ridiculous hours that I just don't have with two adorable little munchkins (who don't like to sleep during the day) on my hands.

Hmmm, I'm left with a dilemma. Not a great intro to Frugal February!!

Daddy's gone a-hunting

Husband really likes bunting in kid's rooms - so I decided to have a go at making some to match the other things I've made for our boys' room.

It's been a pretty fun project, and importantly, simple!

Here's what you need:

• fabrics in the colours / patterns you choose
• matching cotton
• length of ribbon
• measuring tape
• cardboard
• scissors (I used normal scissors and pinking shears)
  

Here are the instructions - and, truly, I go at things like a bull at a gate, often lacking requisite TLC (sounds like a report card doesn't it....), so even if you're like me and don't do things perfectly, it still works out! There's plenty of room for error.

1. Select your fabrics and pre-wash them (if you can be bothered!), and get your cottons / bobbins in order

2. Decide what size you want your flags to be and cut out a cardboard template (don't forget to add an extra centimetre all the way around for hemming). My finished flags are 11cm wide and 22 cm high.

3. Work out how many flags you need for your bunting. An odd number works best usually (helps you to centre the hanging of it).


4. Cut your flags out. Each flag will need a 'front' and a 'back'. This means you need 2 triangles per flag. You could use the same fabric front and back, or mix it up a little. Totally up to you.

5. Sew your flag pieces together (but not along the top!) - inside out or 'right sides together'. Keep going until you've done them all.


6. Turn your flags inside out (this is why you don't sew along the top) and iron flat. They end up looking like the photo above.

7. Place them out on the ground and work out your order - just play with the order of them and soon enough something will feel right.


8. Stay stitch the flags together along the tops. I just fed them into the sewing machine one after the other. (If you look closely, you can see the stitching line joining them all in the photo above)

9. Trim excess fabric above stay-stitch line - this makes it easier to attach the ribbon binding. I used pinking shears so that I didn't have to worry about fraying.



10. Sew the ribbon over the stay-stitch line (I bought a wide piece of ribbon and actually ironed it in half so that half of the width was on the front, and half was on the back - this way the bunting can be hung either way - there's no obvious 'back' if you know what I mean).

11. Hang and enjoy!

And for the final result?? Well, I haven't hung it yet. Need a ladder and 2 people! But will post a photo as soon as it's done.

[Edit] You know, if you want a different look, this entire project could be WAY easier. Instead of cutting out two pieces of fabric for each flag, you could instead cut one - using pinking shears - and run a line of stitching just inside the outer edge - voila - flag done! (why did I only think of this now......???)

Nursery sneak peek

Here's a sneak peek of the boys' room. It's finally coming together.

It's been a bit challenging because the room isn't exactly huge (about 3m x 3.2m) and we need to fit in two cots, a chair, a changing surface and storage. And while it's definitely full, it's actually less cramped than I thought it might be.

I've been doing some sewing - I made the hanging mobiles and 4 summer quilts (if you squint you will be able to see them folded up on the shelves).

Here's the mobiles before they were mobiles..!
Despite progress, the list of things to buy doesn't seem to get any smaller! We still need a rug, a foot stool, black out blinds, a change pad (we're just going to use the top of the tallboy for changing - no room for a change table!) and about a million practical baby things (I've been buying rather too many adorable outfits.....).

But I'm happy. We're getting there. Feels good.

Prints prints prints!

I have prints on the brain - when I couldn't sleep last night (thanks to two very active little boys deciding to play a football match!) - I came to the computer to find some prints for their nursery.

And what good timing! Amanda over at Swish and Swanky has posted a gorgeous Studio Mela print idea, and Chantelle at Fatmumslim has also posted about Caitlin Shearer who also does beautiful work.

I adore these ones too - they remind me of a fairytale enchanted forest. They are by Tom at TR Mack Studio - you can find him here on Etsy.


Don't you think these would look just gorgeous in a nursery? I think I'm in love :)

Does anyone know of any other artists producing gorgeous prints that I should look at?

Origami

I've been making some origami paper cranes, with the intention of turning them into some sort of hanging mobile for over the change table. I just love the idea of them fluttering gently in the breeze. I'll post more pictures when they're more than a bundle of birds on a table.