January 4, 2010

• Still Getting Ready

  I, unfortunately, am not one of those persons who is either highly motivated or highly organized to start preparations for things way ahead of the appointed time. I don’t decorate for Christmas at Halloween or even Thanksgiving time, no, I wait til the week before, and on some occasions we have put the tree up on Christmas Even. What? You have never done that? Oft times I am sewing or finishing the making of, and definitely the wrapping of gifts right before walking out the door to a party or dinner date. The planning, thought processes, and beginning execution of a project may start way earlier than the deadline, but the completion rarely happens before its at the “Oh holy crap” point. Hey, at least I am honest about it. And I am trying to get better about it. So with the above confession as to my procrastination/slackerneess/slothfulness it should come as no surprise that the due date for baby Quinn McKenna being January 13th, the crib was assembled yesterday. And I haven’t yet purchased a crib set/made a crib set. Now there are legitimate reasons for this, surprisingly. First of all, we planned to have the crib in our bedroom, which is quite large and will accomodate it nicely. So the hot-mess that is/was our room has had to be rearranged/cleaned/purged prior to assembling the crib. Michael has been working like a fiend at work, I have been not-so-healthy-feeling-great and it wouldn’t be quite fair to make Brenna do it all, now would it? In our reworking the never-painted-or-fully-decorated-by-us (read that as plain white walls with no prints or anything up) we have decided to update the room, and fairly inexpensively at that. The long dresser which was purchased for me by my mother when I was 12 or so has a very country mirror and shelf top. That is going to be removed and replaced with a pretty cool iron edged Pier One mirror we purchased for the dining room but changed our mind about (opting for a different Pier One arched mirror which we have to hang yet due to the complexity of the operation). The similar style 90s book-case style headboard of the bed will be replaced with an iron head board (likely one we like from Ikea). I will then skirt the bed to update it and camo the useful but outdated Captain’s Pedestal that the oh-so-incredibly-comfortable and warm-in-winter King Sized Waterbed rests upon. I plan to eventually purchase an iron quilt/blanket stand. This Summer I want to make several bookcases and storage items for the room, paint them flat black to coordinate. Our bed clothes are green, curtains are green and the carpet (ugh) is rose. I hope to replace that or at least downplay it as much as possible. Three of the walls we are thinking of painting a dusty orchid or aubergine, and the stairway wall will probably be the lighter tan that is in the Family room below. We have new curtain hardware that is just waiting for painting to be done to be hung, and I have a photo that I took of a violin that I will frame that will be the first piece of artwork to adorn the freshly painted walls. The sofa and loveseat, freebies and well made but worn, I will make cream colored covers for and accent pillows in green, plum and cream (the three colors we are trying to implement into the room). If it comes out in reality the way I “see” it, it will be bangin’. The bathroom I may do in cream and a purple family color but lighter as the room is small and has no windows. Why they didn’t put a danged window in the room I have NO idea but it frustrates me intensely. Hrmph. So there IS actually a plan in the works, now just to implement it. Kind of exciting to see how it will turn out. I have other ideas also, such as making a quilted wall hanging of some sort, taking a series of photos to mount on canvas and turn into wall art, etc. The “family gallery” wall will go in the living room on the other side of the house on the stairwell wall that we have to paint red, also this Spring/Summer. That gallery will be all black and white and sepia images in decorative frames more in keeping with the style of the furniture and such in the room. So back to the crib. Here is an image of the crib my mother in law so generously purchased as Quinn’s gift for us: Its a convertible crib that goes to a toddler bed, toddler day bed then a full sized bed. We have to purchase the rails for the full-sized bed and the rail for the toddler bed, which we will do this year to make sure we get while its still available. I am seriously lusting after the armoire that matches it, but its likely I will get the long dresser first, then the armoire and the nightstand. Point being I love the set and even if we don’t use it for Quinn’s room it will make a spectacular spare bedroom set. It was funny that after we got it home I realized that style-wise we have at least 4 other pieces scattered throughout the house that have similar lines. The two tall cabinets in the dining room, new bathroom cabinet in our bathroom, and a chest in the living room as well as the dining room table. Guess that means we are consistent in some regards taste and style wise. I keep going back and forth as to whether to purchase a bedding set for the crib or just go on ahead and make the whole thing like I did with Brenna. I definitely will make Quinn a biscuit quilt. Brenna loves hers and still uses it (I made it large). But I love the Cocalo Baby set pictured here: And keep going back to it. I found it for around $132 online, shipped, for the 6 piece set. In actuality I would just like to have the skirt, crib, rug and wall art. I wish they would allow a piece meal purchase of the items but, no such luck. With gift monies we received it would only mean an additional $25 or so out of pocket to order the set. Michael and Brenna like the set a lot too and think we should go ahead and get it. I may just go on and plunge ahead since I consistently return to it every time I look at different sets that are out there. Plus the fact that she is due to arrive in less than two weeks. Even if she likely isn’t going to sleep in the crib yet doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like that corner of the room all decorated and pretty and ready to show off.  OK that is a little pretentious but you know how good it feels to have something finished, attractive and all set up. A friend of mine has a dresser that she was just getting ready to re-home, so I am going to get that from her in the next week or so to use for Quinn’s clothes, and like other pieces in the room, I plan to paint it this Spring. I am thinking I will paint it white then do a crackle finish in black over it. Keeping the furniture in the room either that finish or the dark color that is similar to the crib will make a nice look. I don’t do “matchy matchy” with furniture, but things do need to coordinate so I don’t get the twitchies when I look at everything. I will take pics as we progress on the room plans, but thought I would empty my brain of what was knocking about in there this evening, er, morning. Insomnia. Ugh. Its 4:30 and I have only slept two hours tonight. Again. I am so ready for her to get here so my body can, Lord willing, get straightened out. I didn’t have these issues with Brenna so I am not sure what is triggeriing this other than the pregnancy. WAY over it and ready to do jumping jacks to encourage her arrival ASAP. ;^) ‘Cept my back would kill me…I just REALLY do not want to go late like Brenna did, which I thing my OB wouldn’t allow at any rate. AND God knows I do NOT want to be induced. I am taking Red Raspberry Leaf and Evening Primrose Oil (which I take anyway but am increasing that) so I am praying these these encourage my body to go go go… Soon soon soon…

  • 4:42 am
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