DIY Dressed Up Crib Bumper

When I worked as a buyer for a baby products website, we had a small showroom with cribs and bedding on display. I remember trying to make everything look picture perfect and having the most difficult time with the ties on the bumper pads. They never seemed to be in the right place to tie onto the slats of all the different cribs.

When I ran across this nursery with the DIY bumper ties, I love it for 2 different reasons:


image from StyleBerryBlog

First, the designer added her own satin ties to a PB bumper bought on clearance for less than $5! Side note, if you live near Austin/San Antonio you must make a trip to the PB outlet - there are amazing deals! What a great way to personalize and dress it up.

It also allowed her to get the ties in the exact right place for her crib - perfect!

So, if you are going to mix and match your bedding, think about adding your own ties in the perfect shade. Gross grain or satin ribbon is available in tons of different shades and will allow you to add your own personal touch.

Bumper or No Bumper? What's a Girl To Do!

I recently got an email from my prego friend asking for some cute ideas to decorate her non-crib-bumper nursery. For safety reasons she has decided to skip the bumper but is bummed because it is one of the cutest parts of the crib set.

Just for reference, here is was the American Acadamy of Pediatrics says about safe bedding practices for infants:

• Place baby on his or her back on a firm tight-fitting mattress in a crib that meets current safety standards.
  
• Remove pillows, pillow-like bumper pads, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, stuffed toys, and other soft products from the crib.
  
• Consider using a sleeper or other sleep clothing as an alternative to blankets, with no other covering.
  
• If using a blanket, put baby with feet at the foot of the crib. Tuck a thin blanket around the crib mattress, reaching only as far as the baby's chest.
  
• Make sure your baby's head remains uncovered during sleep.
• Do not place baby on a water bed, sofa, soft mattress, pillow, or other soft surface.

Crib bumpers used to be important for safety reasons because the slats in cribs were much wider and bumpers prevented baby from becoming trapped. But, with new regulations on cribs the bumper has recently become a point of controversy. So, if you decide not to use a bumper, here are some suggestion to add color and interest to your crib:

Crib Fringe - The famous Babylicious bumper alternative – crib fringe brings back the decorative element to the nursery if you've chosen no bumpers for your baby. More and more experts warn that bumper pads may increase your baby's risk for SIDS. Use our innovative crib fringe to decorate baby's crib more safely. Ties to the long sides of the crib's rails on the inside when baby is newborn, and then move to the outside when baby can start to reach up. A set of 2, one for each long rail looks adorable. Also great as a window valance on a rod, as a pennant, or to trim the change table! 100% cotton.

Ceiling Sculpture - Draw the eyes up with something interesting hanging from the ceiling. Check out this DIY mobile featured on Spearmint Baby:

Decorative Wall Paint - Add a painted monogram or vinyl decal behind the crib to bring the eyes up and add interest behind it. Visit etsy.com for wall decals at an affordable price. These are also great if you are in an apartment or rental and can't paint the walls!

Or, add some decorative paint detail all around the room. The crib below only has part of the bumper on, and you don't even notice because the cool wall treatment is the focus:

Ceiling Swag - Drape fabric above the crib to create a soft swag. Below is the best picture I could find of what I am talking about but basically you could use a long panel of fabric, suspend 2 rods from the ceiling hanging horizontally and drape fabric over the crib.

If that sounds like too much, try a mosquito net instead.

Hope that helps Alana!

Crib Bedding 101: How To Choose The Perfect Set

So you finally found out if you are having a boy or a girl. You have had it narrowed down to 2 bedding sets, one pink, the other blue and now you can finally start decorating the nursery around your bedding set. Long hours have already been spent locating the perfect set and now you can finally order it. Well, you may want to consider a few factors before you click that button.

Choosing a set because you love the pattern on the quilt? Most experts advise against having loose bedding in the crib, so you can't even use the quilt. You can always drape it over your rocker, but then you can't really see it in all its glory. One thing you can do with it is hang it on the wall like a tapestry. Most Lambs and Ivy sets even include tabs to hang it from a rod or dowel.

Does your set have the cutest crib bumpers with a ruffle at the top? Well, eventually, the bumper will have to go too. You see, crib bumpers were originally used because older cribs had more space between the bars and they prevented injury. Now those spaces are regulated and most experts agree that bumpers can do more harm than good once baby can start rolling over. So, here is what your crib will really look like most of the time. Sad but true.


So, basically your crib bedding set is going to be reduced to a crib skirt and sheet. So, make sure you love those parts! One option is to choose separates instead of getting a set. Pottery Barn, Target and many other stores offer separates you can mix and match to create your own look. You will need at least 3 crib sheets, so you can get different types. Look for ones with a cute all over pattern that you do like, since the sheets will always be on.

Another thing to consider is price. I know that Caden Lane set looks cute, but imagine how cute it will look when baby has a little accident on it. Because, trust me, it will happen. So it may not be worth it to spend the big bucks on bedding. After all its washing, you probably aren't going to want to use it with another child anyway even if you still like it in 3 years! Instead I suggest investing the most money in a stroller you love that will work well and saving one the crib bedding.

There are plenty of sets out there for a good price. Check out sets from Migi, Babylicous, JJ Cole and Kids Line for some cute choices at affordable prices. Babylicious even has a cute crib bumper alternative called "crib fringe."



Naturally, I suggest focusing your decor on a gorgeous custom painting or an interesting wall paint or treatment. It will impact the space much more than that bedding set that the baby product manufacturers make look so appealing on the crib!