My husband and I are always trying to come up with the right formula for putting the kids to bed. Just when we think we have a winning formula one of the kids gets sick, sprouts a tooth or just doesn’t want to cooperate and what is supposed to take 15 minutes takes hours. One constant that soothes at night and nap time is music. Although it is absolutely true that children really do enjoy their own parents singing no matter how bad it may sound, there are some days when another a cappella version of Twinkle Twinkle just isn’t happening. One of the best additions to the nursery has to be the MP3 player and docking station. Load it up with lullabies and happy dance music and whether you need some help at nighttime or are in the mood for an impromptu dance party during the day, you are prepared.

Now that the iPod Nano comes in 9 vibrant colors you can coordinate with the nursery or playroom. I’ve got the new Touch on my holiday gift list so that when I’m racing through Trader Joe’s with the kids to load up for the week I can whip it out at checkout for some instant babysitting (I call it a safety measure really). I love this petite docking station with speakers from JBL. The glossy white would be perfect for the nursery and is so compact would fit on a shelf or side table. If color is more your thing, check out the iLive Boombox docking station. The metallic hot pink and old school boombox shape make it a good choice for the play room.

Don’t forget the Music. Some Favorites:

1. Dan Zanes - Favorites Albums are: Catch That Train, House Party & Neuva York

2.  Go Rastafari! - “Rockabye Baby, Lullaby Renditions of Bob Marley”

3. Justin Roberts - Happy Go Lucky Sounds

4. Sippy Cups - Catch them live if you can

5. Disneys Lullaby - Sounds corny but is a full proof sleep inducer!

Tags: Gear, Music, Tech

The title of my post is a complete contradiction, yet after discovering this charming inspiration board that uses Ikea accessories, retro chairs and vintage elephant framed art, it makes perfect sense!

Jenny created this beautiful inspiration board to inspire her dear friend Anna. Anna recently moved into a new home and needed to come up with a design for her children’s shared (boy/girl) nursery. Jenny must be a super friend because she even spied cool chairs from Anna’s local craigslist - mind you Anna lives in a different city! You can learn more about the gender-neutral details (from fabric to ricrac) and Jenny by visiting her darling decor blog Little Green Notebook.

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Design Boards, Gender Neutral, Twins

I haven’t found the right playful picture of the kids to have blown up on canvas but I really love the idea. Now, I have even more reason to find that perfect picture to convert into a piece of artwork. Chic Canvas has teamed up with our friend and stationary guru Erin Condren to introduce a line of canvas keepsakes.  With details such as Erin’s trademark Stripes and Candy Lace designs, the canvas can be totally customized. Those holidays are just around the corner and these beautiful canvas works of art would brighten up the nursery, toddler room or play room. Sizing runs from 8 x 10 for $79 to the oversized 36 x 48 for $319.

Want your house to be extra jolly this Christmas? Erin has just introduced the darling “Oh Christmas Tree” canvas print for $112.  With the holidays around the corner this print is a bright and cheerful way to welcome your guests at this year’s holiday party. In fact, you can coordinate your invitations and gift labels to match the canvas. Now that’s getting in the spirit!

Tags: Gifts, Wall Art

Cassie is a seasoned blogger, Etsy shop owner, graphic designer and crafter who officially added the title of Mom last week as she and her family welcomed Perry Avery into the world! Cassie’s nesting time was well spent creating a soothing, bird inspired nursery. “For the baby’s room, we decided to keep it understated, clean and modern with a folksy twist. I wanted a room I could personally seek refuge in and not just a character-themed nursery he would outgrow in a couple years…I’d say the room currently reflects my own style and not necessarily that of a baby boy.

The color inspiration came from a quilt Cassie made a few years back and the crib/crib bedding comes from Walmart. Fearing that the notNeutral wall decals wouldn’t properly adhere due to the room’s textured walls, Cassie created her own version with a quart of paint, stencils made out of card stock, and a roll of masking tape. The green paint on the wall is Valspar 6003-3B Martinique Dawn in eggshell and the green used for the mural is Valspar MS245 Spiny Sea Urchin in semi-gloss. For more DIY details, visit Cassie’s sweet blog “Twittering Bird“. Oh, and we must boast that Project Nursery inspired the darling, complimentary handmade bird mobile!

Cassie believes that anyone can easily customize anything with a couple quarts of paint and a few yards of fabric! We wanted a dresser instead of a changing table, so the little guy could use it for years to come. We were on an ikea budget and weren’t quite satisfied with anything we saw until we spied this dresser. It’s solid wood but the colors were anything but exciting, so we figured a few quarts of paint would be the perfect solution. The exact colors of the dresser are: Valspar 5004-9C Beach Sparkle (blue) and Valspar 6010-4 Amazon Silt - both in semi-gloss.“

Just one simple curtain panel provided enough fabric to make two valances. And the best part - The fabric was found on sale at Target for only three dollars! The dresser and shelf are both from Ikea. Some of Cassie’s favorite finds include the Amy Ruppel print (their first purchase once pregnant), the inflatable “Rody“, and the Bla-Bla knit toys.

Best wishes to both Cassie and baby! Thank you for taking the time to share with us. We hope you enjoy many peaceful nights in your beautiful nursery!

Tags: Boy, Gender Neutral, Inspiration, Paint, Wall Art

Our friends over at Creative Baby Nursery Rooms have just launched a Baby Nursery Design Contest and Pam and I are on the panel of judges! What do you have to loose? Send over a few snap shots to enter for a chance to win a $75 gift certificate from super sponsor Pink Taffy Designs.

Creative Baby Nursery Rooms is full of wonderful tips for bringing home baby and nursery inspiration. For contest details, click here. Project Nursery looks forward to reviewing your enteries!

Tags: Blogs, Contests

Over-The-Top big time and we mean it as a total compliment…

Gold never looked so glorious in baby’s room. Simply gorgeous and dreamy. Unfortunately, I don’t speak Spanish so I couldn’t tell you what this article from the super cool Decopeques site is telling us. But the picture is too lovely for words.

Looking for something a bit more kid-friendly? Step it up a notch and contact Kidtroplis creators of OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD! children’s rooms.

These photos are just the beginning. Now click their link and take a moment to “Ooh” and “Ahhh” at all of their design projects but don’t forget to come back to Project Nursery for more inspiring room designs!

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Designers, Play Rooms, Toddler Rooms

A company that has sold over 6.5 million stamp sets certainly knows a thing or two about creativity. That is why we were excited to hear about new ways to easily spruce up the nursery on your own, without a ton of work. Melisa announced yesterday that we are dedicating this week to some of these crafty ideas from our friends at Stampin’ Up! Today we are featuring a stylish and fun circles wall border from Stampin’ Up’s! Decor Elements line. These self-adhesive vinyl art products can be used on walls, mirrors, windows and other smooth surfaces.

Now, I realize this DIY project looks like it would take hours and require absolute concentration. Un-interupted decorating time is hard to come by at my house so quick and easy are important. Really, these decals are not only easy to apply but leave a lot of room to create your own unique border using the luscious layers of circles. If you don’t believe me, check out the step-by-step instructions. And don’t fear, if you need to change the room down the road the decals come off the wall quickly. Simple to apply and a decor element that is non-committal!. The experts at Stampin’ Up! put it best when they said, “Whether you want to spice up the walls of your home or frame a home décor piece for display, Décor Elements is easy to apply, easy to love, and easy to remove. Tomorrow you will meet a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, in the meantime you can purchase these cool decals online.

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Stampin', Wall Decals

Opening mail can be a total chore, especially when there are no party invites, sample sale notices or magazines in the bunch. But, I have to admit that I got a genuine rush today when I received the latest Serena and Lily catalog. I’m sure most of you received it as well so let’s go over a few things together, shall we?

They have added over 200 new products to their extensive line of nursery and children’s furniture and decor. Since I’m always based in the kitchen at home, I want the kids to play and hang out in the adjacent kitchen nook (so I can keep my eyes on them because when its silent and I’m not by their sides, I know there is mischief going on).  I’ve been looking for cute and practical seating options for them in an effort to make it more comfortable. The little square chairs by S&L would be a perfect fix and so portable. I like the orange piping with the turquoise basket weave print.

With a name like the Everyday Bin, who couldn’t find a use for them? Perfect for organizing the endless amounts of art table supplies: pens, paper, stickers etc.  But I think the first thing I really need is the new splat mat. My son is now insisting on using a fork at meals, just like big sister, and my poor floor is really taking a beating.

I think I’ll leave Serena and Lily’s new bedding collections for another post but don’t miss out on their adorable white bird lamp. Gender neutral and serene. I love the white on white and lucite base too. Lastly, check out the new Serena and Lily blog. They have featured an amazing nursery that is definitely worth a look.

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Play Rooms, Storage, Table Lamps

If this nursery hasn’t inspired you just yet, keep reading. It’s hard not to be impressed by the creativity, love and attention to detail Rebecca has put into creating her son Brandt’s designer digs for less than $1000!

When it comes to designing a blank canvas, Project Nursery often recommends a single jumping off point. Rebecca’s inspiration for baby’s first room was Land of Nod’s contemporary quilted crib bedding, Full Circle. Prints from Yuko Lau found at Allposters.com nicely compliment the bedding and provides a touch of whimsy.  Rebecca explains that her biggest challenge was finding a white crib that wasn’t too feminine or traditional. The discovery of Babi Italia’s Scandi Dropside Crib in chocolate and white from Babies R Us was the ideal find. We just love how Rebecca chose to carry the same look throughout the room with the other pieces.

At 7 months pregnant, Rebecca created the focal wall behind the crib with hip squares of color. “The blocks were created by using 1.75″ painters tape for the grid and are approx 24″x24″. The color palette came directly from the bedding and art. I used Behr paint from Home Depot (3 shades of blue - Euclayptus Leaf, Adriatic Mist, and a medium
shade between the two that was a custom color; 2 shades of green- Dried Palm and Corn Husk and 1 brown- Breakfast Blend”.

Now here’s where Rebecca’s the inner Martha Stewart really kicks in…

“The scalloped paint design above the changing table was created by tracing half of a paper plate and then painting the outline by hand. The dresser came from an old armoire base I had. I added a fresh coat of white paint and brushed nickel hardware. To turn it into a changing table, I purchased the chocolate wood changing top from Pottery Barn Kids. The window panels are made from aqua colored twin sheets; I added the 24″ strip of white fabric and then embellished them with coordinating ribbon. I would have to say that my favorite item would have to be my window panels….only because I made them. I was working as a designer and was surrounded by fabrics that were awesome and about $100/yard or more so to be able to make my own that coordinated so well for about $12.00 per panel, I was really excited!”

Finally, the chair, shelves, picture frames, and paper lanterns are from Ikea and the Star Shaggy Raggy Rugs came from Target!

Bravo Rebecca, you should be really very proud of the cool, contemporary and creative nursery you created. Thanks for giving us the scoop!

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Bedding, Boy, Drapes, Furniture, Inspiration, Paint, Window Treatments

It’s so fun to know that Project Nursery is being enjoyed by people from around the globe. A reader from Amsterdam recently sent us a really supportive email (so nice, thanks!) and introduced us to a local baby bedding company called Kikebu. Kikebu’s style is simple, fresh and original. Their philosophy is to make life easier for parent and baby through products that are practical, elegant and attractive. They say, “Babies deserve to be loved and surrounded by happiness, that is why we design, produce and select  the best and most attractive products, trying to create a happy, cozy world around them.”

Besides the bright and cheerful crib sets I really like the hooded towels. Its tough to find a great hooded towel that’s not too cutesy or adorned with animal ears. Also check out the changing mats. The cool modern prints are a fun change from the typical ugly black nylon ones that come with most baby bags.

Tags: Bedding, Gear