Project: Baby

Aside from the craftiness going on inside my uterus right now, I'm getting the urge to start a few baby projects. Some things do end up cheaper to buy than to make (when you add up materials + time + labor) but then you're stuck with whatever colors are available and honestly, most "baby" colors make me want to gouge out my eyes. Why is everything primary colors? I'm not starting a daycare center, it's my home. I want it to be calm, quiet & serene.

Which is why we're getting a puppy. They are always calm, quiet & serene.

I wish I was kidding.

At least our baby accessories can send out this vibe, right?

Project 1: Nursing Covers

They cost anywhere from $25-$40 to buy, and they only take 1 yard of fabric to make. When you add in the D-rings to make the straps adjustable and the strip of boning to make the top part rounded (so you can see what your kiddo is up to under there), the cost of materials will be about $10. I'm making 2 of them. 1 for home, 1 for work. I will be returning to work at some point while Baby Annan is (hopefully) still nursing, so in order to pump discreetly, I need a nursing cover!

[Gee, I have no idea what's going on under there...]

Project 2: Burp Cloths

If you can sew a square, you can make these. One side is an absorbant material like minky, flannel or terrycloth and the other side is a fun, cotton print. They're going to get covered in spit-up but they can still look cute. We'll need a few for every room! Won't Tim look so adorable with a drooling baby over his shoulder?

Project 3: Baby Mobile

Again with the jolting, primary colors! Add in some nursery rhyme songs with terrible sound quality and you've got yourself an average Fisher Price mobile. We can do better, Moms. Which is why I'm planning on making a bunch of these tissue paper pom poms to hang over Baby Annan's crib. Tissue paper is really inexpensive and comes in every color imagineable. Not sure how we're going to hang them yet, but it will probably involve fishing line so it's as discreet as possible.

[Courtesy of Martha Stewart]

Project 4: Boppy & Changing Pad Covers

My mom already picked up some minky dot fabric (similar to this) to re-cover my sister-in-law's boppy that she's lending me. So soft! I'm also borrowing her changing pad, so I'll have to measure that and find a tutorial for a cover. It's basically a rectangle with elastic around the corners. In the words of Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa), how hard can that be?



[An example of a print that I hate.]

Project 5: Baby Room Decor

Not sure what direction I want to go in with this yet. Etsy has some fantastic ideas, and I'm in love with their alphabet prints. I'm not a big fan of wall decals, which are all the rage right now, so hanging up lots of frames it is! My husband will be thrilled. I'll also need a comfy pillow for the poang chair, and I can't wait to see the baby blanket my mom is making! Where do you think I get my craftiness from?

Project 6: Baby Food

Okay, so this will obviously occur later on, but I'm already thinking about it. I make our meals from scratch, so Baby Annan deserves the same! I have a food mill, food processor & blender so I'm all set with tools. I love the idea of making big batches of baby food and freezing them in individual containers. That way, you can just pop a few in the fridge for the week and they're thawed & ready to go. I like knowing what's in the things we eat and could really do without the added sugar & preservatives in conventional baby food. Not to mention it's thifty as all get out and the recycling bin won't be overflowing with tiny little jars.

Clinkity clink clink.

I'm sure I'll think of more projects as time goes on. Entering week 15 on Monday. BANANAS.