nurserybedding

Upon receiving the joyous news of my pregnancy, I immediately started thinking about the nursery. Needing a neutral décor pallet, I wanted a theme with meaning; an idea that would represent both my husband and myself. And I wanted originality; a whimsical design that would suit either a boy or a girl.

My spouse and I live in the Midwest, but are always drawn to the ocean. When we vacation, we spend our days either on the water, in the water or under the water which is precisely why a sea life, nautical theme seemed natural for our nursery.

Wall Décor
I began by painting the walls a calming sea foam green. I left the ceiling white and painted a shelving unit white as well. Our hardwood floors and oak furniture created a warm combination with a nautical feel.

Bedding
Finding unisex bedding was a challenge. And baby bedding is expensive! Full crib sets can range in price from $70 up to $300 and more. Always on a budget, I visited Target.com and discovered an adorable sea life line called Under the Sea by Tiddliwinks. Sheets, bumpers, blankets and dust ruffles are included in the package and are adorned with octopus, lobsters, dolphins, starfish and more. The color is a soothing blend of blues, lilacs and greens with flecks of red, yellow and orange. The entire collection cost just $75.

Window Treatments
While the Under the Sea line offered matching window valances, I opted to create a treatment with a little more originality. At a local fabric store, I purchased 7 yards of white tulle for less than $2 per yard. I loosely wrapped the tulle around the valance rod about 6 or 7 times, leaving each end to drape down about a foot or so. I then purchased a package of small to medium sized starfish also from a craft store and gently placed them in the “waves” created by the draped tulle. I used four starfish in total and positioned them at even lengths apart giving the look of fish netting. You can use a hot glue gun to adhere the starfish to the tulle if need be.

Accessories
Accessorizing is key in any design. Ikea had a surprisingly large selection of nautical and sea life accents. They sell starfish wall art as well as seascapes, beautiful beach prints and more. In their children's department, Ikea carries an array of stuffed sea creatures like: sharks, fish and crabs. They also sell colorful fish rugs and hampers. For under $30 you can accessorize an entire nautical nursery. On a side note, Ikea is a great place to find storage for toys and clothes. You'll discover reasonably priced bins and baskets to keep your nursery organized.

Wall Treatment
To dress up you walls, try to paint or stencil starfish or similar sea creatures randomly in your room. On our sea foam green walls, white starfish really pop. While the paint is drying, spread some silver glitter on the starfish to create a wet or glistening affect. If painting isn't your specialty, try attaching larger starfish on your walls several feet apart in an uneven pattern. Starfish can be attached with an assortment of wall hanging gadgets from 3M.

With a little creativity, the possibilities for a nautical nursery are endless and not to mention economical. Our baby's room cost less than $150 to decorate using items from stores like: Target, Hobby Lobby, Ikea and Joanne's Fabrics.

Monkey Baby Bedding Sets

If you are looking to design a green nursery for your baby, you're certainly not alone. Parents are going this route in droves. Today, we know too much about toxins to want them anywhere near our children. What's more, there are loads of green products available (online and in stores), so building a safe and eco-friendly nursery for your baby is now easier than ever.

Your Green Nursery Checklist

1) Flooring
Carpet-free:
If possible, it is better to go carpet-free. If you are remodeling, it is recommended that the existing floor (assuming it is wood) be stripped and sealed with only the safest floor sealing products. To ensure ultimate safety, any floor refinishing needs to be completed at least one month before the baby's arrival.

Carpeting:
For new area rugs, look for natural, preferably organic cotton and wool fibers that use vegetable-based dyes with minimal additives (such as stain or insect repellents) and no backing. Carpet pads of untreated goat or camel hair are preferable, and carpet tacks or water-based adhesives are safer than conventional adhesives.

2) Walls
The same goes for painting; complete painting at least one month before the baby is due. Find eco-friendly paints, such as: Zero VOC Paints, Low-VOC Paints, Natural Paint and Milk Paint. Avoiding vinyl wall paper is preferable.

3) Crib and Bedding
For the ultimate in terms of safe sleeping, consider purchasing the following:

• Non toxic crib

• Organic mattress

• Organic bedding and blankets

4) Furniture
Purchase furniture that is made with your baby's safety in mind, from start to finish.

Assorted furniture for nursery

Organic changing pads

5) Toys
The first place your baby toys are going is into her mouth. Make sure she's nibbling on non-toxic ones!

6) Bath and Body Products
When it comes to cleaning your baby, go natural. One ingredient you'll want to avoid as you shop for baby wash is parabens. Also look out for phalates and other toxic substances you wouldn't dream of putting on baby's gentle skin.

Green Nursery — Online Resources
To examine a rich selection of green nursery information and products, refer to these excellent resources:

Green Home Guide

The Daily Green

Naturally Trendy

Happy Green Baby

Monkey Baby Bedding

Most biennial and perennial plants sell for 25 to 50 cents each. You can have from 50 to 60 for 75 cents or less by growing the plants yourself and its easy. August is the ideal time to start perennials, biennials and the annuals you want for late winter or very early spring bloom. Started now the plants will be a husky three to four inches tall by the time we wish to set them out in the garden. Another reason is most of these plants germinate, better when fresh, seed is used.

Start by making up your mind on the things you want for your garden and buy the seed. I have learned the hard way that seed gathered from a neighbor's garden doesn't always come true to type. If you do want to use home collected seed be prepared to have its bloom an inferior or totally different color due to nature's haphazard way of pollinating. I use eight-inch seed pots for starting my seeds as they don't take up much room and they are so light it is no trick to move them to a more advantageous spot when I think it necessary.

These pots are only four or five inches deep but this is plenty deep for seedlings. Also I can plant one color or variety to a pot and be sure they won't get mixed up. I mix my own starting soil as it is so easy. I start with a big, old metal dishpan. You can also use a cardboard box or a wheelbarrow. Into this I dump two big cans of clean river sand, two cans of soil from the garden (chosen from a spot that hasn't been fertilized for several months) and two cans of composted leafmold. This is all mixed together and enough water added to make it moist but not wet. It is then screened through a quarter-inch mesh. I made my own screen by tacking hardware cloth, over a flat that had lost its bottom boards.

Screen The Hole

I place a small piece of aluminum screen over the hole in the bottom of the pot and fill it to the trim with the soil mix. Next I use a flat-bottomed jar to pound the soil down firmly. This leaves a space of about an inch at the top for future watering of the seedlings. I then pour boiling water over the soil in the pots to thoroughly wet it and to sterilize it. When the soil is cool I smooth the top over lightly and sow the seeds and cover them lightly with dry soil. The coarseness or fineness of this covering will depend upon the size of the seed. In general, seeds should be covered to a depth of two or three times their diameter.

Most seed packets state the depth of the soil covering to use. Never use more covering than is recommended on the package especially if you are sowing fine seed. Press the covering lightly against the seed and cover the pot with a couple of thicknesses of burlap. I use a burlap bag and tuck the end and sides under the pots. I place the seeded pots in a dark corner of the garage where I can watch them carefully so as to be able to move them into the light as soon as the seeds have germinated.

When the seeds have sprouted remove the sack but do not place the delicate seedlings in the sun. I place my seedlings in pots on the north side of the house where no sun reaches for three or four days or more as some seeds are very slow starting. I also cover the seed pans with a single thickness of cheese-cloth to give them a little extra protection. When the tiny plants look sturdy I begin moving them toward a sunnier spot, but not where the direct rays of the sun can reach them and I keep the cheese-cloth on. If the seedlings need more moisture I hold the pot in a tub of water until a small moist spot shows on the surface of the soil no longer,and put it back in the filtered sunlight.

Transplanting Time

When the seedlings have developed their second pair of leaves they are ready for transplanting. This time use a flat and the same soil mix as before. Firm it as you did in the seed pan and again sterilize and moisten the soil by pouring boiling water overt it. When the soil is cool you are ready. Now the trick is to loosen the soil in the seed pan so that it falls away from the roots of the seedlings without damaging them. Pick up one seedling at a time by a top leaf. With the blunt end of a dibble (I use a large pencil) make a hole in the soil in the flat about one-half inch wide and one inch deep. Place the roots of the seedling in it, using the dibble to press the soil about the roots.

Make the holes two to four inches apart according to the size you with the plants to be when you set them out in the garden. Water the little transplants well. I hold the flat up to its rim in water until wet spots show on the surface of the soil, just as I did the freshly planted seed. However, the transplants can be watered with a “rose” with fine holes but be sure not to have the pressure so strong it disturbs the seedlings. Keep the flat in the shade for a few days then gradually move it to the sun. Also use a snail and slug bait or spray to guard against these pests.

Keep in mind that seeds germinate only once. If the soil is allowed to get too dry for even a vary short time the seedlings are damaged or possibly killed. Even after they are transplanted the soil must be kept moist so there will be no check in their growth. Learn to feel the soil and water before there is a chance of it being dry.

Professional gardeners say never sow different types of seed in the same flat. This is why I use the small seed pans. Some perennial and biennial seeds germinate in a few day while other may take weeks or even months. The Japanese primrose needs about a year to germinate so I always suggest these be purchased in gallon cans as the home garden doesn't have the right equipment for them.

August is also the best time to start seeds of winter-flowering annuals such as snapdragons, stocks, calendula, fairy primroses (Primula malacoides), and pansies. Use the same soil mixture and the same procedure that listed for perennials and biennials.

Source:

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0559/ANR-0559.pdf