The Nursery Chronicles: Step 8: Put Up The Curtains, Line The Dresser

I am trying my best to wrap up all of the chronicle series before we move out of this house. Right now, we are one down and three to go. 

I am sorry to tell you that this particular step is not the most exciting one, unless you consider giraffe fabric exciting. In which case, you are going to go BONKERS over this post!

The last time that The Nursery Chronicles graced your eyes, we were painting things yellow and hanging them on the wall. This time, we are hanging curtains and lining dressers.

Curtain Hanging:
I didn't take photos of the actual process so you just get the before and after. After many trial and error lessons learner we now get the curtains before hanging the curtain rod if that is at all possible. That way, you don't have to worry about the curtains being turning into high-water-pants. You can make them hang wherever you want!

Here you go... the before curtains and after on the right side of the room:


And, on the left side of the room:

The monkey heads resting on the curtain rods are funny hats that my BFF gave to me at my baby shower. She suggested we bring them to the hospital and wear them there. So, we did!

When we got home, we put them back on their curtain-rod-resting-place.

Drawer Lining: 
For this, you get a little photo run-down:

These are some pretty obvious steps, but you get them anyway. If you want to make your life even easier you can just get contact paper or don't line your drawers in the first place! I lined these because I had tons of extra fabric, I wanted the drawers to look pretty, and I bought the dresser off Craigslist and I didn't exactly trust a few spray downs to make it clean.

Step 1: (Thank you New Kids on the Block, every time I ever say "Step 1" I sing "you can have lots of fun). Step one, make sure your fabric is nice and straight and cut off any stringy edges.

Step 2: Measure the drawer and mark the fabric.

Step 3: Cut the fabric.

Step 4: Learn that there is an easier way to match up velcro than by using an intricate arrangement of strips.

Step 5: Put the fabric in the drawer and figure out the velcro arrangement from there.

Tada! Done!!

Ooooohhhh, but this isn't over just yet. Now, I would like to show you what lovely and talented ladies I have in my family! As I said earlier, my mother-in-law sewed the fantastic curtains that you just saw. 

My sister made all of the pillow covers! They looked professional!


My sister-in-law made Cora a super adorable quilt. I had tonsssssss of leftover giraffe fabric so she used that on one side and quilted some neat stuff on the other.

And, my mom, who is not much of a seamstress held onto every toy and book that her future grandchildren could possibly want. And, let me tell you, they (Cora anyway) LOVESSSSSS herself some 1980s Fisher Price toys. That is not my mom's only talent- she broke out her inner seamstress and made this funky rug-thing. It is more of a closet-wall-rug, in my opinion. But nonetheless, it is still cool. 

So, thank you to all of the talented women in my life who helped make Cora's room into the colorful baby abode that it is today. 

Here are the Nursery Chronicle step-diddy-do-dahs that got us to where we are now:

Step 1: Get rid of the old furniture and try out some more baby-centric duds for the room. Crib, bookshelf, and daybed.

Step 2: Convince my husband to do more painting than anyone would ever want to do in their whole life. Start the painting spree by painting over the headboard on the wall. Get a dresser/ changing table and refinish it.

Step 3: Get some more furniture. Start the decorating: Wire display for pictures.

Step 4a: Put up the book slings.

Step 4b: More decorating: Floating shelves.

Step 5: Decorations, Part 3: Hang art above the crib and all around the room

Step 6: Refinish side table and get an ottoman

Step 7: Paint the chalkboard and mirror and hang them.

Step 8: Put up the curtains. Line the inside of the dresser with some of my extra fabric

Step 9: Finishing touches.



And here are a few after photos from the nursery: