Rocking Chair 100% Finished

I know I already posted the finished rocking chair, but my mother-in-law ended up making the arm covers. So here it is updated with those.

More Crib Drama

My husband is what I like to call a "fixer". He hates to see those he loves sad or stressed. I'm sure I've been exuding a lot of the former and the later the past few weeks because of this crib debacle. He does anything he can to help fix situations and resolve problems. I can tell it's been hurting him to see ME hurt over this whole thing. He decided that today he'd do whatever it took to get the pieces that get this crib put together. I was up in the room looking over the assembly instructions and kept seeing the word "stabilizer bar". I looked at the parts list and huh, looks like we're actually missing two pieces of crib that I didn't even know existed!

From all of the pictures I've seen of this Annie crib all put together it just looked like the bottom of the side rail, then the drawer. But nope, there IS another part between the bottom of the side rails and the drawer. It's the stabilizer bar, and we're missing both of them!



Okay now, if I was going to sell something, I guess in the excitement of getting it sold I might somehow overlook making sure it had the hardware to put it all together. But not realizing TWO other boards were missing? Hmmm, not sure. It really makes me wonder WHY she was even selling it! A lot of the parts and pieces are missing. Could she really not have known she was selling me something I couldn't even put together, let alone get use out of? Again, if I'd known that for the price I was getting something I couldn't use, I would NEVER have made the trip all the way to Seattle for it! I'm sure if she had sold it locally, she'd have had to either give them the parts they paid for or their money back. With my being so far away, I guess she just figures she can be done with it, without making it right.

I'm a very trusting and forgiving person and(some might say I'm too forgiving, that I let people run all over the top of me) I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt in all of this. But really, the fact that she's still avoiding me after all this time tells me that she most likely knew she was cheating us out of parts we paid for. Again, I was too trusting. I was too excited while she was dropping it off, that I didn't see that we could be headed down a bad road. Maybe I should have asked to keep some of the money till I got the rest of the parts? And now to find out a month after she dropped it off to us in the parking lot we're missing 2 actual pieces of the crib and not just the hardware she said she'd send.

I'm sure most people are sick of hearing about this already. All I want to do is get this resolved. I'm not sure if I should even bother emailing her one last time before talking to Craigslist about what I can do about the situation. Ugh it's all just so frustrating.

Crib Sadness

I've been up since 2:30 AM trying to figure out what to do and I think I have my answer.

As those that follow my blog know, I've had my eye on THE DREAM crib since around August. I searched high and low and finally found it on craigslist in Seattle. We planned a trip all the way over there just to get this crib. I had a few things to get at Ikea, but I would have found other options closer to home if not for this crib. I was counting down the days till the crib was actually MINE! I was so beside myself with happiness when the crib was dropped off to us and dreamed all the way home about where in the nursery it would go, how it would look with the other furniture, how it would look with our baby boy sleeping soundly in it. Like I've said before, I've NEVER been so excited about a piece of furniture in my life!

When we picked it up, the lady we bought it from said that her ex husband had the hardware to put it together and she'd ship it out first thing Monday morning. I was so excited to finally have the crib in my possession that it wasn't even a big deal at the time. We got home after that exhaustively long trip and the next morning unloaded everything. I think my husband probably thought I was crazy because of the perma-smile on my face because I finally had this crib. A few times he even joked, "the things I don't do for you".

All the next week my heart would beat just a little bit faster as I walked out to check the mail, and each day I got a little bit sadder, still no hardware. The next week I emailed the lady and asked if it had been sent. She assured me it had and was surprised I hadn't received it. She said she had contacted the crib manufacturer for replacements, which I didn't understand. Why did she do that if she knew they'd been sent to me? Well, that's the last I've heard from her. I've sent her a few emails and messages since, just asking if the package had been returned, was there a confirmation number on the sent package, etc. I don't want to be a bother, but I'm due so soon and I want this crib set up in the worst way! I bought the crib and I thought that included the pieces to put it together! Had I known there would be no way to put it together I wouldn't have planned a trip in the middle of winter so very far away. The crib has been set up in the room like this for weeks:



I leaned a few pieces of it together so I could see the space it would take up and I tried to get rough measurements so that I could buy the material I'm going to make the bedding out of. I am due in 24 days. Every time I walk into the nursery now I actually feel sad instead of happy. There is this HUGE unfinished project staring me in the face and there is seriously nothing I can do about it at this point! $170 (plus the big expense of the whole trip) is a lot to pay for something that has no function. If I could just go down to the hardware store and get all the little pieces I need to put this together that would be great, but they don't sell what we need. There isn't much I can really do with this crib at all. I can't even give it away, because someone else would have the same dilemma. It's been rendered pretty much useless, and that is so, so sad.

As much as it kills me to do it, at this point I think I just need to let it go. This whole dilemma has caused me a lot of stress and worry. I'm quickly running out of time and I need to figure something out and fast. I hate to have to spend more money on a new crib when I HAVE the only crib I've ever wanted!!

I'm beside myself with sadness over this whole thing. It would have been nice for the lady to at least acknowledge my emails. She got paid for the crib and never looked back it seems. It really isn't fair to pay good money for something and think your silly little dream has come true, only to have it ripped away. The important thing is I am very blessed to have what I do have and Baby B will have a bed one way or another. I just wished it could have been this bed.

**UPDATE**
Ryan contacted the manufacturer and this is what they said:

At this time the hardware for Crib/Beds is not available for purchase. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please check back for further availability updates.

So I think we're screwed--pun intended.

Rocking Chair Finished

This project is almost complete! My terrific mother-in-law was nice enough to make the cushions for me and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out! They are so bright and fun! She is still making the arm rests, but they won't be like the original ones, they will just go around the top of the arms. This chair sure has come a long way!





And because I know you want to see them. The before and afters:





It's cute and it's comfy to sit in. I'm sure it's going to be getting a lot of use in the next few months!

Lining Dresser Drawers

Ever since getting the dresser, I knew I wanted to line the inside of the dresser drawers. Being an older piece of furniture, the drawers were pretty rough on the bottom and I didn't want anyone getting any slivers or anything to get snagged. I searched everywhere for the perfect paper to line it with. None of the contact paper I saw online stood out to me, and the actual selection of it in stores is a joke--so I opted to use wrapping paper.

It was very hard to find something in the color scheme. Most papers you find have HAPPY BIRTHDAY or something like that written all over them, or they are so themed they scream birthday party. I wanted something modern looking like this:



But at $3.00/sheet measuring 19"x27" it was just too much money!

I finally settled on a baby wrapping paper from Target. I know, I know, I said I didn't want anything in the nursery to scream BABY! But for the price it was the cutest thing I could find. Some might say it's even a bit ahem, girly, but really it's not something that will be seen by many people.





To adhere the paper to the drawers I used Mod Podge.


I layed the paper print side down and traced around the drawer onto the paper. Of course there was some extra, so after cutting the piece out, I put it into the drawer and creased where it met the edge and cut off the excess to make it fit. Then I used that paper as my template for the other five drawers.



I put the paper down in the drawer and folded part of it over, applied the Mod Podge to the drawer bottom and smoothed the paper over it, then did the same thing to the other side.

After doing this the paper looked pretty wrinkled, because of course it was damp on the underside, but as it dried the wrinkles and ripples disappeared and it was flat and smooth. I let them dry 2 hours then brushed the top of the paper with a coat of Mod Podge to seal it into place. Wait 2 more hours then one more coat.





How cute is that? I'm glad I lined the drawers. Mod Podge is water based and non toxic, so it won't ruin or stink up the baby's clothes.

Moving Forward

Here's just a quick little post showing some of the things in the room. I never took pictures of our Ikea purchases, so I included some of those things.


Ryan put the Ikea bookcase together for me yesterday. We also got a few baskets to contain toys and things. I know, I know, most people would say I'm missing a basket, but I'm an odd numbers kinda gal. Seeing that there are an even amount of slots in the this bookcase, I wanted an odd number of baskets to break up that look of total uniformity.


I know I already bought a lamp for his room, but when I saw this one at Ikea for $20, I couldn't pass it up. Plus, I'm all about task and mood lighting. This light will be a lot less harsh on the eyes during middle of the night feedings. Isn't this little truck cute? There are magnets on the little shapes so they can be picked up. This is also from Ikea and was $15.


Ikea sheepskin (not real of course!) was only $24. My mom had a real one when I was little and just having a small one sort of like it is kind of nostalgic, don't you think? Plus it's super, super soft and cuddly.


Ikea blanket $3.99, too cute not to buy for that price! And it's ORANGE! Do you know how hard it is to find orange or yellow baby blankets that AREN'T pastel shades?!


And for posterity's sake, the dresser in it's final home under the window.

Rocking Chair Refinished

Here are the pictures of the refinished rocking chair. I threw in a few before and after shots to show what it looked like and what it became.

I love how clean the white looks in the room with the paint colors.




Before and Afters: You've come a long way, baby. No pun intended.





All that is left with this project-that-wouldn't-end is to recover the cushions and make a small pillow.

The Big Checklist: The Countdown is on

There are still a lot of little projects and a few big ones left in the nursery. Yesterday Rhett and Kunu moved out of the baby's room and Ryan vacuumed and shampooed the carpet for me. The room is now a blank slate, an empty canvas. I have all the ideas in my head of how it's going to look, I just hope I haven't severely missed the mark and planned a hot mess!



Here is a checklist of the things I could think of off the top of my head that need done, and soon:

- Clean closet doors and window sill and blind.
- Paint inside the closet
- Install the closet system
- Line the dresser drawers
- Dye the curtains again (one bottle was decent, I just want more saturation)
- Cut and hem curtains and add elephants with fabric paint
- Install curtain rod and hang curtains
- Put Ikea bookcase together Thanks Ryan!
- Put crib together (when we got the crib the lady didn't have the hardware with her, she said it was mailed over 2 weeks ago, but I still haven't received it. Starting to panic about that a little!)
- Paint all picture frames, frame art and hang
- Wash all clothing and fabric
- Make new cushions for the rocking chair
- Make crib skirt (contingent on crib measurements once it's set up)
- Make crib quilt (contingent on crib measurements once it's set up)
- Make pillows

These are just some of the things I could think of off the top. I'm sure there are a few things I'm forgetting. With 35 days left till my due date just looking at this list is making me nauseous! HOW oh HOW am I going to get all of this done? It probably wouldn't be so hard normally, but being almost 40+ lbs heavier than my normal weight and the other cons that come with the 3rd trimester have my exhausted before I can even think to begin. I think I need a miracle, that's what!

The rocking chair is done and put back together, I just need to get a few after pics.

Rocking Chair Progress and Fabric

I've been working here and there on refinishing the rocking chair since Sunday. I haven't taken any pictures of the progress yet, because quite frankly, to me, it's not as exciting as the dresser. It's in about 14 pieces and you can't even really tell it's a chair anyhow haha! Once it's all painted and put back together I'll get more pictures.

I was pretty excited to get the new cushion fabric in the mail yesterday and got a few pictures of it. It looked really good on the computer, but it is SO cute in person, I just love it! I like the texture and the clean white with the bright pops of color. I think it's going to be perfect for the transformed white rocker!



Thought the texture looks kind of rough, it is actually very soft.

Dresser Refinishing: Part 4 Painted and Finished

WOOO it's all done! Talk about back breaking work when you're 8 1/2 months pregnant. I wanted to give up so many times throughout the process, especially while painting in the black outlines. I started with the drawers doing freehand, 3 coats. Talk about work! On the straight lines on the actual dresser I thought I'd be smart and use painters tape to make it go super fast and look super straight. Didn't. Work. Out. I was so excited to see the result after it was dry, I peeled back the tape and I about cried! It was all jagged and splotchy! Howwwww? I was so distraught I didn't even take a picture of it to show.

Needless to say, I wrecked my nails scraping the black off of where it shouldn't have been and free handed white over what was still left. It actually turned out really nice after ALL THAT WORK! I'm actually quite proud!

Before and after, what do you think?


Ignore my extremely messy kitchen, this dresser took up my whole weekend.






I love how smooth the paint job came out!

Dresser Refinishing: Part 3 Primer

Sanding took a lot longer than I anticipated. Getting into all of those little cracks and crevices was not easy! I spent about six hours yesterday sanding everything to my liking. I tend to get OCD and turn perfectionist when it comes to stuff like this. Most people would have stopped and called it good well before I did. All in all I'm very proud of the result.

Ryan knocked out two coats of primer for me last night, so all I had to do today was sand the primer and paint. I just finished the second coat of paint a minute ago and when that's dry I'll see if we need a third.

Here it is today after two coats of primer and before the paint.



We have decided to reuse the original hardware, they are now a glossy black! I also have a bit of a surprise with the dresser details, a fun little twist. I'm liking it so far.

Dresser Refinishing: Part 2 Sanding

Ryan is doing the large area sanding and I'm doing the fine detail sanding. I would probably be done by now, but it's 34 degrees outside. I keep getting frozen fingers! If only sanding, like painting involved no dust, I could do it in the kitchen.

Ryan working on a drawer last night.


It's starting to get there.


Lots of little crevices to get into, yikes!




Judy says hi.


The wood is actually really really pretty. Maybe down the road if we get sick of it being white we can strip it and stain it to really bring out that wood grain.

Dresser Refinishing: Part 1 Before

I grabbed a few before pictures of the dresser I've been so excited about. Tonight Ryan is going to sand it down (gotta keep the pregnant lady away from all the dust) and I'm going to prime and paint. We'll be doing the same thing with the rocking chair, but I already posted pictures of that awhile back.

NOTE: Yes, I know my garage needs cleaned like no other! I'll be getting to that this spring! :)



I think my favorite design feature of this dresser is the shape of the bottom. I think this is going to look nice mixed in with the more modern pieces (like the Ikea bookcase) in the room.



I love all the detail, it's almost a shame I have to repaint it. I really don't think Baby Boy would appreciate the flowers though! I'm still torn as to whether or not I'm going to use the original hardware when we're all done.


My mom bought this dresser in 1994 as part of a set that included a beautiful canopy bed that's in the same style as the dresser, large mirror that is to be hung above the dresser, two end tables and two antique lamps; for a grand total of $150. They are Bassett Furniture and were made in the mid '60s to reflect the French Provincial style.

This dresser sat out on my grandmas porch for many, many years, hence the worn paint around the bottom on the legs. I think it would have stayed in excellent condition if it had lived inside. I'm shocked at how sturdy and excellent the actual bones of the dresser are still in. It's just the cosmetics like the paint that are in need of some help. She still has the bed and the mirror, but the lamps and end tables are long gone.

The Seattle Trip

The Seattle trip for the most part was a success! We got everything we went for except a few small things that I couldn't find and everything made it in one piece! I didn't realize how crazy Ikea was! We had to park at literally the farthest point away from the entrance that was still on the Ikea property! once we got inside, I felt like a farm animal being herded from spot to spot. People were everywhere, and pretty rude too. They'd just cut you off, stand in the way when they knew you were there, and bump into you without an apology. It's not like I'm the smallest person anymore either! I have a big bump that sticks out quite a bit now! We got in and out of there in under 30 minutes, and after seeing the size of that place, I can't believe we did it. We booked it from section to section and made it to the checkout pretty fast. The one thing I forgot to do there was to use my Montana drivers license so I wouldn't have to pay sales tax, oh well. I realized today that we got the wrong sized shelving brackets for the shelves we got. Yikes! They don't sell them online, so I might have to try and figure something else out.

The lady that sold us the crib met us at Ikea to drop it off to us. That was so sweet of her to go out of her way to bring it to us. This crib is even more beautiful in person. Who knew a piece of furniture that I don't even get to use myself would make me so darn happy!?!?! The only downside was she didn't have the cribs hardware with it, so she should be sending that out to us first thing Monday! I can't wait, I want to get it set up so badly! Plus I still have to make the bedding for it!

It was a long trip and toward the end my whole body hurt! But I'd say it was all worth it. Right now I'm going to go get some ice cream and wash down the crib!

I have a lot to update in the coming days:

~Pictures of the crib and everything we got at Ikea.
~Stripping and refinishing the dresser and the chair.
~Painting all the frames and framing the images.
~Finish fabric shopping.
~Hopefully getting everything into the room?

Planned Seattle Trip

I don't think I ever blogged about finally finding my DREAM crib! Well a wonderful lady in Seattle had one listed on Craigslist and I asked if she'd be willing to ship it to me and she said she would. I'm paying $170 for it! It was used by her daughter and is still in excellent shape. Shipping on it would have been close to $200 though, I'm sure!




Also, the bookcase I want to get from Ikea is reasonably priced at $69.99, but for them to ship it to me would be $349.00 + the price of the bookcase! UGH! There are also some cool shelves I want to get from Ikea.





Well, we decided we're just gonna drive our happy little butts over to Seattle this weekend and pick everything up. My brother Timmy's bringing the dresser down in his truck, he's so nice to come with us and let us use his truck for everything. I'm getting really excited to get the dresser and rocking chair stripped and refinished now.

Rocking Chair Drama

I think my brother is totally cursed when it comes to hauling furniture (especially chairs!) for me. Back when I was moving into my first place, my Grandma bought me a table and chair set and one of the chairs fell out of the truck and shattered on the highway. When he was moving an overstuffed living chair back to Libby to my mom's house, that took flight as well.

As you might remember from a previous post, my mom gave me a rocking chair that's been in the family for quite some time. I was going to refinish and reupholster it. My brother was doing me a favor by bringing it to me and guess what happened? Yep, it grew it's wings and took flight and shattered like glass on the highway. Dang!

Tim and I decided to go look around a few second hand stores, and what do you know, the first one we go to I find the PERFECT glider rocking chair! And it was only $30! Not bad, not bad at all. I plan use the existing cushions on it as a pattern to make new ones. I'm going to sand this bad boy down and paint it to match the crib and dresser (An antique off-white color).

I don't think I mentioned how PERFECT this chair is! It matches the crib ( I don't have the crib yet, but that's in the works!!!) almost perfectly. see...



Here are the pictures of it with and without the cushions:









I can't wait to get started on it. RIP old family rocking chair, you will be missed!