My Frugal Nursery

For those who do not know me well, I might be the cheapest person on earth, only second to my Paw Paw (whose favorite jacket is an HEB sacker's jacket he found in a parking lot).  I hate to spend money and I love to look for inexpensive ways to decorate.  So, when we started planning a nursery, my Frugal Frita side really came out.

In case you live under a rock and have never browsed through a Potterybarn or Restoration Hardware catalog, Nurseries are a BIG DEAL to our society.  People will decorate the room as if it is a Sultan's Palace... and this is for a baby...a little person who eats, spits up, and poops.  They are not concerned if you have the right mobile, or the appropriate changing table, or if you have searched for the perfect wall color.  They are not looking at the window curtains or the embellished seat cushion.

Never the less, our society has put great stock in nursery decor.  I was not even going to have  theme until my mom's sweet friends threw me a themed shower... "Feather Your Nest".  BTW, BJ hates birds with a passion, so he has had to really get over the upchuch reflex as he walks into the room.

I have attached some pics of some of the ways I was able to save a little money:

Rocker:  This is my brother and sister in law's rocker they used with both their children.  (free)

Crib:  Also Curtis& Stacey's crib... my sweet mom has held onto this for about 7 years, waiting and praying that I would:
a) get married and
b) have  baby


best part... (free)

Changing Table:  I bought this dresser on craigslist for $60 and used the wall color to paint the pulls.

 


Wall art:  Here is where I went to a new low of "cheap".  I wanted the look of Audubon prints but was not willing to pay full price.  I first went to Half Priced Books looking for an Audubon Book to zerox, but even those books were about $30 used.  I then decided to go online and look for some printable copies.  For the cost of colored ink and three pieces of printer paper, I was able to print these beautiful copies.  I also went to Hobby Lobby and purchased $3 wooden frames I painted white to finish the effect. 

Bedding:  My sweet mother who is a dynamite seamstress made the bedding and window valance.  They are beautiful.  BTW, the "bless this nest" sign was simply purchased from TJ Maxx by a friend. 


Redefined:  Because our house is so small, we do not have a formal dining room.  I had to put my Gran Gran's china cabinet in the nursery.  So, I simply had to redefine it's purpose.  I packed up all my Gran Gran's china into my kitchen cabinets and created a storage hutch with inexpensive baskets for storage and shelves for picture frames and books.