Birdy Branch Art

Maybe its the organic trend but lately I have been seeing more natural elements being added into nursery decor. I have been seeing these birdy branch mobiles everywhere. Maybe it started in the Pottery Barn catalog with this version (featured with the Brooke bedding)......


I don't know about you but I get SO ANNOYED when I find a decor element I love in their catalog, only to search on the page for the item and realize that they just used it to tempt me and don't actually sell it. So, if you are dying for one, check out these homemade versions:

Found this one on the blog of photographer Audrey Habeck - love that she used stars

This blue bird nursery was featured on DesignDazzle.com

Directions for this DIY version are available at DesignSpongeOnline.com:


What do you guys think? Love 'em but not into birds? You can substitute practically anything - from stars to circles to origami shapes. I like the natural element they bring into a room and they would work over a changing table or hung in a corner over your rocker.

Going Green: Eco-Friendly Nursery Decor

Here in Austin, people are really into living a green lifestyle. There are baby boutiques dedicated to eco-friendly items such as organic bedding and mattress, cloth diapers, and wooden toys. People ride their bikes everywhere and there is even an Austin Car Share program that allows people to share vehicles to cut down on their carbon footprint.

All this got me thinking about eco-friendly decor for your nursery. A few years ago, eco-friendly options for the nursery were expensive and very limited and unless you wanted a tan and brown room, you had to look elsewhere. Not so anymore. Here are some hip, modern options at a variety of price points:

Wall Art from Amenity

Offers a variety of nature-themed prints (and matching bedding) at decent price points. Printed on organic cotton and ready to hang.

Love this look but not the price? Check out specialty fabric stores for organic fabric that you can wrap around a frame yourself. Bonus if you make the frame using sustainable hardwoods!

Furniture

Eco-friendly furniture often comes with a higher price tag than the run-of-the mill stuff. The most budget friendly option would be to re-purpose dressers and night stands that you already have. Mix matched furniture is in, and by changing the knobs or repainting you can have a whole new look and tie everything together.

But, if you are going to buy something new, there are a few things you can look for:

• Sustainable hardwoods from well managed forests
• Materials like bamboo or formaldehyde-free MDF
• Low VOC, non-toxic finishes
• Items made in the USA
• Natural Wood with no finish

This crib from Q Collection Junior is handmade in the USA from locally sourced sustainable hardwoods and is a celeb favorite. With a $1200 price tag it is a little costly, but if you plan on having multiple children this can be an investment piece.

Oeuf and DucDuc also make popular lines that are eco-friendly as well.

Bedding from American Baby Company

Great options if you are on a budget. Available in a natural and mocha shade, this velour bedding is super soft and snuggly. However, for those of you going all natural, this bedding uses synthetic filler for the quilt and bumpers.

Bedding from Argington

They use 100% certified organic cotton, which means that no herbicides or pesticides have been used in production. The prints are done with low impact dyes using a low impact printing process. They fill their comforters, bumpers, and pillows with 100% cotton fill. The fabric texture is smooth to the skin and remarkably soft. And above all....it is all natural.

Want some more info on these topics? Check out these helpful articles:

Nursery Decor, Make it Stylish and Safe from Organic Baby Resource

People Safe from Q Collection Junior

The Eco-Friendly Nursery from TheCradle.com

Free To A Good Home

Still available FOR FREE to anyone that wants them - email me if you are interested!

This set of 4 16x20" was the very first piece of nursery artwork I painted - using some canvas and paint I already had. When I made them I was just kinda playing around so they are pretty basic and the sides are white. They have been sitting in my guest room closet for months collecting dust and I think they need a better home. So, I am giving them away! If you've chosen a gender neutral set or a natural colored organic set, these 4 pieces would be just perfect. Arrange them together in a rectangle shape, in a straight line or separate them and put 2 over the crib and 2 over the changing table. The possibilities are endless!

Normally they would be $75 for the set but they are yours if you want to pay the shipping - $20. If you are interested, just leave a comment below with your email address.

Green Theme: Eco-Friendly Baby Shower

Sometimes I feel like if you've been to one baby shower, you've been to them all. There are only so many new games, finger sandwiches and punch concoctions out there and it can be hard to get creative.

That's why I am so excited to share some ideas for a "green theme" baby shower. Everyone is trying to be more eco-friendly these days and if you have a friend that is trying to go organic for her baby this is the prefect party for you!

For a centerpiece, try creating (or purchasing) a cloth diaper cake. Many Moms are trying out cloth diapers these days and a diaper cake will get her started in the right direction. Not sure where to start with the cloth diapers? Check out this post to help you get started. Decorate the cake with fresh flowers and rafia ribbon. The cute giraffe topper on this cake is actually a Sophie the Giraffe natural teether by Vulli. Made of all natural rubber it is completely chemical free and safe for baby.

For an activity, have party guests decorate organic onesies for the new baby with fabric paint and paint markers. Available in an inexpensive 3 pack from Gerber at Target, it gives guests a chance to create something fun that mom will be sure to use. Like a guest book baby can wear!

At every shower I have been to, the Hostess always wants to give a special gift. Well, here is an idea that is probably not on the registry - a tree! Give the new parents a small tree they can plant when baby is born. They can watch it grow with their child and it is sure to be a special spot in their yard for life!


For favors, try putting healthy snacks like natural popcorn in glass baby bottles. After guests leave they can use the baby bottle to feed their own little one or to store small things like safety pins and buttons.

Since the theme is green you should try to make the shower as eco-friendly as possible as well. Send out an evite or other electronic invitation instead of paper ones. Keep decorations to a minimum and repurpose items from other rooms in your home to use as decor. Fresh flowers and house plants will do wonders! Use real plates and glassware instead of plastic. And for food, think fresh, healthy and natural. If you can, shop a farmer's market for fresh fruit and tasty homeade fruit spreads and baked goods.

Lastly, when Mom leaves, give her a set of re-usable grocery bags to carry her presents home in! She will think of you and the great shower every time she uses them!

Hope that gives you a good start! Enjoy!

Cloth Diapering Made Easy

So I know the blog is all about decorating the nursery, but I just couldn't pass up a chance to promote a great new website, Diaperlicious.com. Founded by a local Cedar Park WAHM (Work at Home Mom) the website is dedicated to helping you, baby and the earth.

Lets just consider these points:

• Cloth diapering can save you up to $1200 vs using disposables for just one child
• Paper or plastic? Would you really want either close to your skin? Cotton stays cooler, breathes easier and prevents diaper rash
• It takes an estimated 250 years for a disposable diaper to decompose in a landfill
  

I know what you are thinking. Cloth diapering, are you nuts? But believe me, cloth diapers have come a long way since your mom was folding squares and trying not to stick you with an old fashioned diaper pin. Sure, you can still buy those rectangles, but now they are called "prefolds" and come pre-folded and sewn with extra layers in the center for maximum absorption. Just pull on wrap or pant over it and you are good to go. Still not sounding like something you want to do? Fuzzi Bunz and Cotton Babies make great products that have the cloth and the pant all put together. Just stuff an insert in to take care of leaks. Still too much? Maybe gDiapers are for you. A happy compromise for the busy mom and the earth, gDiapers have a disposable insert you can flush or throw away with cute little g-pants you put over the top.

But enough of my novice advice. The founder of Diaperlicous is an avid cloth diaper user herself and has put a ton of time and effort into researching the best products for those of you interested in doing you part for the earth. So check out the website and all they have to offer. Exceptional customer service is available for those of you with questions - I'm sure you have them!

Going Green in Theme

"Going Green" are buzz words you here everywhere these days. From cleaning products to sustainable hardwood furniture to baby products, everyone is looking for eco-friendly options for every room in their house. Many people start thinking about this even more when the become parents. Every parent wants to give their child the best and leaving them with a healthy planet. Lucky for you new mommies, there are plenty of green options out there for your little one's nursery.

Here are some simple things to think about when selecting items for your nursery:

• For furniture, think sustainable hardwoods - sounds good and green but what exactly does that mean? Well, it means that trees used to create your beautiful crib were replaced with new baby trees after they were cut down
• For a mattress, if your budget allows, look for organic options from Naturepedic and even Sealy. It may seem like more to spend, but if you think about how much time baby spends on the mattress, it is well worth it
  
• There are tons of organic bedding lines out there ranging in price from $400 for a Q Collection Junior set all the way down to much more affordable sets from American Baby Company and Kidsline. And, if you think everything organic is brown, think again. These days there are many more options with nature themes.
• For wall paint, look for low or no VOC paint. VOC, another buzz word. It means Volatile Organic Compound - with can produce fumes that have been linked to respiratory illness. Try Benjamin Moore's low-VOC Aura line which doesn't require primer and needs just one coat
  

So, if you are going green in what you buy, why not try a green theme as well? Since the blog is all about decor, I just couldn't resist some of these adorable natural theme decorations. These shelves from Pottery Barn can be added to a wall mural to create storage from books, photos and even toys. And, if painting a wall mural sounds like too much, check out these tree wall decals from Giggle.




You can use one or two to create a bright, cherry forest on the walls. Great on white walls and even better on a nice shade of green. Looking for something smaller than a wall mural? I would be happy to create you your very own forest on canvas. Subtract the pink flowers and add more birds, together we can create exactly what you are looking for.