Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Cradle Love

With less than 14 days to go, I finally got around to organising a little nursery nook wall space for the baby in our bedroom.

I have never had a cradle in the house before. I'm far too practical to go to the hassle and expense of a cradle as well as a cot when just a cot will do the trick from the start. But if you can ward off the image of Rebecca De Mornay in the creepy thriller 
"The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" then there is something very nostalgic and whimsical about a cradle don't you think? It was also during our visit to Sovereign Hill while on our big caravan adventure that I fell in love with the gorgeousness of the cradle that inhabited the bedrooms of the 1800's homes that I decided I would take the photos above and seek a similar cradle out in the event we would have another baby.

No such luck finding one that complied with the current safety standards but on one of my recent trips to the Tip whilst looking for some recycled pallets for the veggie patch compost heap, I stumbled on the cradle below. I asked the lady how much it was and she said it was illegal to sell it to me as a cradle. I quickly rephrased my question and asked how much she wanted for the pile of wood that was in the shape of a cradle. She looked at my expanding belly and smiled and said I could have it for $15, since it was absolutely going in the fire and all. Bargain!

It was super sturdy and in excellent condition. I checked the Australian Safety Standards when I got home and it complied with all of the items. In case you're wondering, the main concern is the width of the rails for cots and cradles, which need to be greater than 5cm apart but no greater than 9.5cm apart. Small gaps are a hazard for little arms and legs and big gaps are a hazard for heads. It's common sense really and if you've got a beautiful heirloom piece from great grandpa, there is probably a good chance it complies anyway. I'm actually not a big stickler for these things but I'd hate to advocate unsafe cots/sleeping practices on my blog. My babies actually slept in the pram bassinet right next to my bed for the first little bit and the twins actually slept together in the pram bassinet for the first month before I moved them into separate cots, apparently not recommended. 



I don't go much on cream paint and Teddy Bear stickers so I just sanded it and painted it Grey.  I love grey but there are actually more than 50 shades of grey so I left it all in the hands of the 70 year old man at the local hardware store to choose for me. I just wanted Grey but he explained that if you don't want it to look purple you have to choose a grey with a green base as opposed to a blue base and so he picked Dulux "Timeless Grey" for me. This is great advice and obviously wasn't given to my poor friend whose entire house exterior is purple because of the grey paint they had chosen.

Here is the finished space. 



We literally didn't have a single baby item in the house having sold everything when we left Sydney to fund our caravan trip around Australia. So everything is second-hand from thrift stores or made by me.  Babies really don't need much and I just wanted to make it a bit fun but keep it fairly simple, and uncluttered as this is our bedroom. "Cheap and Cheerful" as my mother-in-law would say :-) I purposely left the space above the cot clear but it looks a bit bare. The kids are collecting feathers to make a mobile. Do you think that would do the trick? Any other suggestions? 

The one exception to the second-hand theme is this most gorgeous bib below that I received from Annie in Wales from one of her giveaways. It was the first baby item to enter the house a little while ago and it is so new and shiny I just want to put a halo around it and frame it on the wall. It features the most gorgeous Liberty of London woodland print in all my favourite nature colours. It's very 'me' and provided the colour inspiration for the space. The bib is from palebluedoor. I also think it's amazing the way the colours co-ordinate with the colours in the granny square blanket I made. Thank you so much Annie and I'm sorry it took me this long to post about it although I'm sure you're not surprised that I've left doing the nursery to the 11th hour :-).

The chook garland was bought in Vietnam for a couple of dollars.



1. Elephant artwork is from Hugs & Inspiration which I won a couple of years ago with a piece of poetry I wrote.
2. The vintage clown print was $5 from the op shop
3. The boy riding the chook is a Propaganda Poster from the  early 1980's bought in Vietnam entitled "Breeding Chickens". It just appealed to me on so many levels.
4. This oil on canvas landscape painting was picked up at the tip on the weekend for just $10. It is titled "Risdon Quarry" which is a local spot near here and I just love the colours. Harriet Wise, if you are out there, I found the painting you did in 1979 discarded at the Tip but it is now lovingly hanging on our bedroom wall :-)
5. These are my teeny tiny 35 year old first baby shoes :-)


6. Vintage wooden side-table $10 from op shop with Ikea lamp, Teddy made by me and daisies from the garden.
7. Retro saucer chair from op shop $20 that I've had for years with granny blanket made by me.
8. Vintage footstool $10 from op shop. I just picked this up on Sunday and it has a gold embossed vinyl which is really awesome but hard to photograph.
9. Vintage trolley with wooden blocks $5 from Sorell Markets.





45 comments :

  1. This is one of the nicest blogs I read. Your nursery is exceptionally gorgeous. It's so different and fresh. I love it. It's fabulous that you haven't spent a fortune on new furniture. Really, all a baby wants is love. And that's all I see in those photos!

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  2. you have a lovely style what a beautiful space ready to welcome your little one
    Love the little mixed blocks

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  3. A lovely nursery. And I just love the little 1960's footstool - my grandparents had an identical one that my dear grandmother used to put her feet up as she knitted or crocheted.
    I love love love your floorboards - they look gorgeous with the full length windows.
    We too went second hand with baby gear for my daughter. We were given a 1960's white wicker carry basket that served as her first bed until she was 2 months old. Her second bed was a beautiful blackwood cradle that my father in law made nearly 40 years ago.

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  4. Mel you've created such a beautiful space for your new little one. I love all of the bits and pieces you've collected and put together, it has such a warm feeling about it. And I love love all of the crochet you've done:) x

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  5. Cradles are great as you can more them around the house with you if need be. The grey really suits it (unlike the foundations of my house which were supposed to be concrete coloured but look blue-who'd have thought grey could be such a minefield!). Your nursery looks very restful, hope the baby finds it that way too x

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  6. What a gorgeous space you have created for your little babe. Lucky little mite. That cradle looks absolutely fab. Grey paint is an absolute headache as I found when we decided to paint our hall. Greenish, purply, blue-ish, beige-ish. Nightmare.

    That bib from Annie is just gorgeous!

    Thinking of you these last few weeks....
    Lots of love Sarah xxx

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  7. The cradle is just perfect in the grey. What a marvelous find! Its all so cosy and fresh. Yellow and grey are a winning combination.
    When our fifth was born we found one of those empty mobiles with little steel pegs and hung laminated photos of the members of our family up there so she would always have smiling faces of people who loved her close by.

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  8. Oh Mel, such exciting times for you all. What a wonderful Christmas you are going to have with your new addition. Chuckled at your fifty shades of grey reference, I'm having similar issues trying to find an off-white at the moment, I'll end up throwing my hands in the air and passing on the project. Everything is looking beautiful in preparation for your new littlie, wishing you well these last few days and eagerly awaiting news of your new arrival.

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    1. We just went through the more than 50 Shades of White issue for the lounge room too Fiona! Finally settled on White on White - will do the 'big reveal' just as soon as the skirting is back on x

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  9. Beautiful!!!! The cradle and the baby area is so clean and you pick out the nicest pictures. The blanket colors are great combo. I did not know there are 50 shades of gray. You taught me something today. I thought it was just the name of the books.

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  10. That is the most perfect nursery corner, light, fresh and full of love.

    So glad the bib provided inspiration ... looking at what you love I've often thought aesthetically we are on the same wavelength.

    Can't believe the big day is suddenly so soon!

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  11. Mel- you're such an inspiration (glad i haven't left my run too late for nursery preparation!)
    Love that you have kept it all very simple, and as Rob keeps reminding me they really don't need much. He has a horror of the number of toys that could accumulate, as we don't' have a lot of extra storage space, but I hope we can keep it simple and uncluttered!
    I wasn't going to do much apart from hang a few pictures (I have some cross stitches that I've done), and maybe if I'm inspired a simple felt ball garland across the top of the window frame. We already have a nice mid-century dresser, so I'm thinking of putting a change mat on top of that.
    We'll get a cot as I've heard twins can share for a couple of months...

    By the way love the sunny corner of your bedroom, and the floorboards are gorgeous.

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    1. They don't need much at all so definitely keep it simple because being your first, and Twins at that, you will receive a LOT of gifts and things, prepare yourselves!

      Our twins shared for the first little bit too - couldn't bare to separate them and they slept so well snuggled in together. It's apparently frowned upon but whatever!

      I love those little garlands too x

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  12. Gorgeous Mel, absolutely gorgeous. I'm so curious about what the cradle/cot standards are. That cradle looks lovely, and how could you not use it??
    How about a crocheted mobile?

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    1. That's a great idea too and I actually remember you doing a lovely one for your cot. Might have to go back and have a peek again :-)

      The standards can be found at http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/975196

      It's actually not illegal to sell second hand/antique/collectible cots but they must come with a consumer warning in the form of a label or sticker stating that the cot does not meet mandatory safety standards and is dangerous to place a baby in it. However, you can easily look up the standards to see whether that particular cot/cradle does meet the standards - lots do! It's common sense really. Mel x

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  13. What luck that your gorgeous cradle is one of the nicest of the fifty shades of grey!
    I love your chair too, I think my parents used to have two like that. What great oppy finds you have indeed Mel.
    I don't think you need much else, your baby will be very happy in beautiful spot you have created. All the best. cheers Wendy

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  14. i discovered your inspiring fantastic blog through cityhippyfarmgirl (lovely brydie). i intuitively feel that we have similar life attitudes. i feel happy every day, even though i live thousand of miles away from all of you, on a beautiful small hellenic mediterranean island of Dodecanese, named Kos, due to my profession near HEDNO distribution network division islans as electrical engineer. your blog conveys subleme earthly bliss, like that one of cityhippyfarmgirl, and i love sharing that with you. thank you..i wish you all the best for you and your loved ones! love, gina :)

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  15. wish you all the best for baby and all your family! greetings also from here!gina!

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  16. Oh Mel. What a delightful nursery you've set up, you clever minx. Can't wait to see it in person with a littlie inside it! J x

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  17. 14 days... Fourteen days!?!? My that has gone fast... of course it has for me, I haven't been the one carrying bubs ;)
    Oh Mel, it looks absolutely stunning, such a bright, fresh, sunny space for your newest addition to the family. I think the cradle is a winner indeed and clever you for seeing it's potential and 'rescuing' it from the tip. I'm excited for you lovely, all the best with the next couple of weeks and wishing you a happy, speedy birth xoxo

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  18. Only 14 days, wow good luck! The crib is absolutely gorgeous in grey, what a super find!

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  19. How exciting, your nursery looks amazing!

    All the best for the arrival of your little one.

    SSG xxx

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  20. I loved this post. I've tagged you for a Liebster Award- details on this post if you would like to check it out http://ducklovesrooster.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/sweet-things-liebster-award.html

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  21. Wow!! For a last minute thrown together Nursery corner, it's beautiful! Love your colour scheme (the first quilt I made was grey, yellow, white and black) and all your second hand finds are total treasures. It's posts like this that make me look at op-shops in a new light! And your pile of wood comment had me in stitches!

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  22. Mel
    It's such a great space and the craddle looks so much better. It's getting so close, so exciting. Xxx

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  23. mel i love it all! I can't pick a favourite item, but the whole decor is stunning! The fact that most has been sourced from op-shops is lovely and that painting by Harriet Wise is DIVINE!! how lovely to think you are now admiring it on your wall each day! You have created such a wonderful calming place for you and baby xx

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  24. Oh wow! The nook looks so beautiful. You have done an amazing job. I love the the grey cradle with the yellow and grey blanket. It's such an exciting time waiting for a baby is'nt it? Elaina xo

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  25. An inspiring baby space, you have a great sense of style.

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  26. It looks absolutely lovely Mel! The grey for the cradle is perfect! :)

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  27. Loving the grey, it looks great. Can't wait to see a little bubba in it soon, when that big ol' belly of yours gives up the goods! Exciting times. xx

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  28. You have made a thoroughly modern but beautifully cosy and welcoming space for your baby. Your grey cradle is perfect and the blanket on it is too. You have a great sense of style!

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  29. Found your lovely blog through Instagram. You have created a beautiful space for your little one.
    Kate xx

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  30. Soooo excited!!!
    The 'nook' looks beautiful!
    lucky baby :-)
    Naomi xo

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  31. that space you created is cozy and lovely, every single inch or if.
    a feather mobile would be beautiful, especially if the other kids collected the feathers! if you think it's not going to work out with the feathers: i keep seeing adorable, handmade mobiles on etsy and great ideas on pinterest. i pinned your cozy space to my "favorite places & spaces" board for inspiration, i hope you don't mind.

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  32. looks wonderful ,love all the cool vintage in the baby room

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  33. what a gorgeous cradle! I love repurposing furniture. I am always on the look out for things I can paint. I made Corey repaint his old chest of drawers for Imogen's room. I love that chevron blanket too. It's gorgeous!

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  34. Hi Mel,
    This is such a gorgeous and calm looking space for your new precious little person. I have been following your photos on Instagram and have just found the time to pop over to read your blog and I'm so glad I did.
    x

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  35. Mel, this little corner you've out together is so welcoming and warm and homely. I love it and love the colour you've painted the cradle too x

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