Nursery Sneak Peek: Wall Art and Decals

Just like Baby #2 is getting close (38 weeks!), so is his nursery.  In fact, the nursery is FINISHED!!!  But I can't reveal the whole thing until after he's born, lest I give away his name, so for now you'll have to settle for a look at the nature-themed wall art I've come up with and my creative use of decals. (Note: Our close friends and family know his name, but we're not making a broad announcement until he's made his grand entrance.  You know, for the purpose of suspense.)

Anyhoo, if you like my Facebook page or tuned in to see my fabric pennant banner plus tips for creating your own, you may have already caught a peek of the Treetop Friends Wall Decals I used. 

What I didn't realize when I ordered the set was that it came with two full sets of decals. (!) Mildly flummoxed about what to do with two full sets of trees, leaves and birds, I let it simmer and my brain came up with something cute.

Here's a look:

 

Did you see that?  I hung the birdhouse from my pennant banner and perched a little birdie on top.

 

And then I bought some inexpensive canvases and acrylic paints and painted two backgrounds for arranging branches, leaves and an owl and a bird on.  It was fast and easy "artwork" and it was really fun putting paint on canvas -- I can't remember the last time I painted.

 

Baby's name hangs above his crib, and I decorated some of the letters with decals.  You can see why I want to wait to do the big reveal!

 

Oh, now I remember the last time I painted!  I made that horse painting when I was in ninth grade for a contest at our local library (I didn't win). My dad recently asked me if I wanted to keep it -- the painting had been in my parents' attic for years.  Stunned now that I had the guts to make a painting and enter it in a contest where people would actually see it, I thought it would be a nice addition to the nature-themed nursery.  Plus the colors go so well with the rest of the room.

 

The embroidery is Scandinavian Birds II (on the right) and a Martha Stewart cross-stitch pattern. I explain how I embellished the lamp with the same fabric in my pennant banner here.

 

 

I made these sweet wall hangings in my pottery class in the spring.  It was hard keeping them a secret all this time!  I wish I could have taken a better photo.  I used my own ink stamps on the clay and glazed them painstakingly with many shades of glaze and a special diluted technique my teacher taught me. I absolutely love them.

 

And just in case you didn't get enough decals, there's a little birdie above the closet...

 

And a little owl above the door.  My eyes always lift up to see him when I'm on my way out.  It's a sweet detail that makes me smile each and every time I see it.

I think I have one more sneak peek in me before the big day...and the big reveal.  I'm looking forward to it!

P.S. Stay tuned for a Stash-busting Challenge update and link-up -- I'm planning on posting it on Thursday night/Friday morning.  Can't wait to see what you've been up to!