How to Build a Nursery in 9 months....

For a while, it was nothing more than a crib in the middle of the room, several inherited baby devices around the room (Thank you, Norm), and a glider in the corner (Thank you, Lindsay). But now, Jamie's room is really beginning to take shape.


I must say that I got a kick in the pants this past weekend, as I spent Saturday and Sunday with some very crafty people. Glenn and I went down to Roanoke and while he was carted off to move things off the lake property with his dad, his mom and I headed to Aunt Joyce's to visit with her and Glenn's cousin Suzy. Suzy lives in Ohio, but comes out occasionally, and usually when she comes, she brings along her fancy embroidery machine and everything imaginable is created. This weekend, that "everything" included burp clothes and a beautiful blanket. We headed off to Joanne's fabric to check out the patterns they had. After we picked up a bunch of fabrics for the burp clothes, I went to check out the paint supplies.


Painting has recently become my new passion. It all started last year, when I decided to paint some wooden animals for Jess' daughter Katie. I found it to be extremely relaxing and really a lot of fun. Thus, when the questions began arising of what we would be doing to paint the nursery, Glenn and I came up with the idea that I would buy a whole bunch of wooden animals and would paint them to be hung in his room. We didn't want to paint the walls. Instead we just plan to decorate them with various homemade things.


Over spring break, I began work on the first thing I know I want to do. That is a shelf and a bunch of little shapes. It was slow going, as I had two other projects to finish first-- one for my new niece Amanda and one for my pretend little sister Marla. With those now done, I am able to turn my attention to Jamie.


SO, that brings us back to Roanoke. I intended just to look for cheap paints and brushes to add to my supplies, but decided that I would go ahead and buy the letters for his name. Once back at Joyce's the three of them took to the embroidery machine, and I broke out the painting supplies and got started. I didn't give I would finish, as I had a limited amount of paints, but as the weekend wore on, I got it almost completely done.






With the exception of some very fine painting that required a brush I have at home, I got it all done. I then finished it up tonight.





I must say that the cow on the "S" is my favorite.

You may be wondering what the theme of all this is. Let me put a disclaimer on this, though. When I tell you what the theme is, let me say I am not looking for a wide array of items in that theme. It is supposed to be a cute, subtle theme. Just as with most other things, I have an idea in my head and am now bringing it to life.

Although I haven't formally mentioned on the blog, the baby's name is going to be James Morgan. The Morgan is a family name, that being both Glenn and his father's middle name. The James, although also a conveniently cool family name on my side, actually comes from a song by James Taylor called "Sweet Baby James." It is a song Glenn and I have been fans of for a while now, and have always thought it would be a great name for a child.

Thus, we are using the lyrics of that song as a base for the theme of his room. The first line is as such: "There is a young cowboy who lives on a range/ His horse and his cattle are his only companions/ He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons/ Waiting for summers, his pastures to change..." The chorus, though, is my favorite part.

"Goodnight, you moonlight ladies,

Rockabye Sweet Baby James.

Deep greens and blues

Are the colors I choose.

Won't you let me go down in my dreams.

And rockabye Sweet Baby James"

And so from there, his room will be an array of horses and cows. Perhaps a moon or two, which is mentioned in another part of the song. The best part, though, is getting to find out how crafty I really am. Finding some hidden ability that goes to sleep every once in a while. It has often been said that there is an artistic Van Welzen gene and I love being able to assert mine.