Charly's Nursery

I don't recommend waiting until after a baby is born to put together the nursery. Not if you can avoid it at least. We, unfortunately, could not avoid it. And so we've been working on Charly's nursery since we moved back over a month ago. Well, really our family started working on it before we moved back if I'm being completely honest...

Anyway, I am happy to say: Charly's nursery is finally complete! (Well, for the most part. We still would like to put up new closet doors and find an area rug or play mat....but those things cost money. And we're on a budget now!) At first I wanted to paint the entire room lavender (the color of the stripe); however, that proved to be a very large task I did NOT want to take on while taking care of Charlotte. So I chose to just paint the stripe instead...which was a big enough job for this Mommy, let me tell you! I also tried to incorporate touches of South Africa...since it is the country of Charlotte's birth after all!

A friend of mine bought the letters and scrapbook paper to do Charlotte's name on the wall. She was able to buy them when they were on sale before we moved back. That saved us an extra Hobby Lobby trip! So thankful for that!

I painted Charlotte's Bible verse on a canvas I actually bought during my first year of college. Little did I know at the time of purchase what that canvas would be used for! I'm sure I didn't even imagine I'd be painting it for my daughter's bedroom...

My Mom (Grandma Darcie) made the crib linens and curtains. I think they turned out quite lovely! Daddy and I bought the crib...and made the sweet little Charlotte you see laying in it!

The mobile is from South Africa. Well...it's actually made in Germany. But we bought it at our favorite Bryanston Organic Craft market in Sough Africa!

The bookshelf was actually my Mom's when she was a little girl. Then...it was mine when I was younger...and now it's Charlotte's! It's been painted a few times, but I think it works perfect in Charly's room. All of the little stone animals on the bookshelf are from Rosebank Craft Market in South Africa. I especially love the larger elephant on the left side of the shelf! Super cute! There's also a wooden elephant puzzle on the shelf and a cute little picture frame from some friends of ours. Oh...and we can't forget the piggy bank from one of Charlotte's baby showers. She's already making bank.

The picture hanging above the shelf is an embroidered piece of cloth from Rosebank Craft market. I bought it the day before Charlotte was born with the help of my Mommy and sister. I love the bright embroidered South Africa animals! Auntie Pam bought Charlotte the butterfly hair bow hanger to the left of the shelf. So cute!

Grandpa Craig and Grandma Jill gave Charly the dresser for Christmas! And the basket is a hand-me-down from Uncle Matt. (I feel like I should say Matthew, not Matt....but I guess he goes by Matt now....not Matthew or Mashina....) The Africa shaped cut-out is of course from Rosebank Craft Market in South Africa. The shadow box frame sitting on top of the dresser was put together by Grandma Darcie. It holds baby photos of Ben and me, our baby shoes and a poem about children that I wrote. The pink treasure boxes are from Great-Grandma Esther.

The changing table is a gift from Great Grandma Carol....and the purple tubs from Auntie Pam. I painted the lavender shelf (previously stationed in our hallway bathroom). Notice the K-State ball cap signed by Bill Snyder from Uncle Chris- pretty cool, eh? Great Grandma Joyce gave Charly the Jesus Loves Me plaque and the other plaque to the right of the table is from Grandma Jill...it lists the details of Charlotte's birth.

And completing the tour....we have the lazy boy chair....from Great Grandma Doris's house. Oh yes....we can't forget the K-State pillow made by Grandma Darcie!

What do you think?