May 23, 2013

DIY Nursery Mobile

Today I finished yet another nursery project that's been on the backburner for quite some time.  I can't claim that I was the creative genius behind this idea.  It's hard to remember if I originally saw it on Pinterest or if it was just Googling nursery ideas, but the inspiration came from this blog tutorial (isn't her nursery adorable).  I did my crystal and pearl mobile very similarly but I will detail my exact way of doing it here because I tweaked it slightly.  If you are confused, you might want to check out the original one!

First things first, gather your supplies. 

You will need:

1. Wire wreath (originally green) spray painted the color of your choice.  I went with white.  This can be found at most craft stores but I got mine at Michael's.  The wreath will NOT have that cross thing in the middle. I added that (made from a coat hanger) because I wanted to add a string to the middle and I wasn't initially sure how I planned to hang the mobile and I wanted "options."  Adding this is not necessary though.
2. Crystals, pearls, beads.  Again, go to Michael's and check out their jewelry making section.  They have TONS of colors and beads to choose from.  I used a couple different sized clear crystals as well as baby pink pearls.  However, word to the wise, go on a day they are having a sale or a day where you have a coupon.  Depending on how many strings and beads you plan to use, this can be a little pricey.

3.  Fishing line to hang from ceiling (#20 found at Sports Chalet), jewelry making line (#6 found at Michael's), and whatever you want to use at the top around the wreath.  I used burlap and a white rose ribbon.
4. White Swag Hook Kit.  Can be purchased at Home Depot.

The first thing I did was using the 20# fishing line, tie 6 long strings to each of the "knobs" on the wire wreath.  You are going to want to make sure this thing is level before you hang a bazillion strings of crystals to it.  I didn't have much of a problem leveling this out.  I then tied all six strings in about 1 million knots 4-5 knots.  I left excess line at the end to use to hang the mobile with.

**Note: You are going to need to find a place to hang this mobile while you are making the strings and attaching them as to avoid it getting into a tangled mess.  I used a top closet rail.

Then, begin making your strings of beads with the #6 line.  I did this "semi" randomly.  I say semi because while I didn't specifically measure the length of each string or how far apart the beads were from each other, I did have a somewhat pattern that I was following to even out the look.  This was partially because I was using different sized and colored beads.  If you are using the same beads for the entire mobile, this would probably not be as important but I didn't want the same color and size to end up all in the same place.  Maybe I'm a little OCD.
I tied strings to all four rings of the wreath and had no real issue with tangling as long as it was hanging.  I would say I ended up with approximately 50 different strings of beads.

I then cut and hot glued the burlap and lace flower ribbon together.  If you've ever dealt with burlap, then you know it can be difficult to use.  My nursery theme is "vintage-shabby chic" so I was okay with the fact that the burlap isn't cut perfectly.  If that's not your style, check out some other types of fabric or ribbon.  Then, hot glue the burlap to the outer ring being careful not to melt the fishing line that you used.
Lastly, I used a white swag hook kit from Home Depot to hang the mobile over the crib. I ended up just tying a knot and looping it over the swag hook.  So far it seems to be hanging very well.





I'm really happy with how it turned out.  I think it looks a lot better in person because my little point and shoot camera fails to pick up the "sparkle." But it's so sweet and adds so much to my nursery!


If you decide to make one, good luck!  And I can't wait to see how yours turns out. :)


May 19, 2013

6 Weeks till D-Day

Yikes!

Did you read that?

I'm 34 weeks which means there are only 6 weeks till my July 2 due date. Where has the time gone!?!

The Scurlock household has had a lot going in the past few weeks.  For starters, we moved into a bigger apartment which has allowed me to start "nesting."  Dad put together the crib on Mother's Day and that was super exciting.

The nursery is coming together nicely and there are only a few more finishing touches to add before baby girl's space will be complete.  For now, here's a few sneak peek pictures.


 
My Momma's Day gift from Josh.
Josh finished OBGYN and started Family Medicine this past week.  He is doing outpatient Family Med and so his schedule is pretty light.  Finally, a rotation where he has every weekend off!  We got to take advantage of the first weekend off to attend his cousin John's wedding in Bakersfield.

Auntie Kristin

With the bride and groom (Jayme and John)
So how am I feeling? Because that seems to be everyone's first question.

Well, pretty good overall. Sure my feet and back are starting to hurt a bit, I have a difficult time putting on shoes with straps, sleeping is becoming increasingly difficult, and I can hardly walk up the stairs without feeling like I need to catch my breath, but I feel it's all fairly minimal discomfort. Maybe the worst is yet to come?

Almost 34 Weeks
So far, no stretch marks and lots of movement from baby girl (mostly at night when I'm trying to sleep). Still no kicks to the ribs, but I have a feeling those are coming soon. And yes, we have a name, but the middle name, according to Josh, is still up for debate. We'll see about that. So no official announcement just yet. :)