Zoodle Wordle

The other day when I shared some of my browser bookmarks with you, I mentioned the Wordle website. Here is an image I created there:



Isn't that fun? I'm having it printed by Winkflash ($2.38 for an 8x10, including shipping), and I'll buy a cute, cheap frame so I can put this in Zoodle's western-themed nursery.

I love that a time-wasting website like Wordle is turning out to help me in a very practical way in my quest to decorate Zoodle's room!

By the way, here are a couple of tips in case you want to make your own Wordle. First--to make some words bigger than others, type them more than once. I typed "cowboy" three times, and typed all the other words one or two times. Second, my Wordle was not the right dimensions for a standard frame, so I used my graphics program to get it to the right size. If you need any help with the process, feel free to e-mail me at cbethblog (at) gmail (dot) com.

Soon, the long-overdue nursery will be complete, and I think the Zoodle Wordle will really add to the look! (Plus, "Zoodle Wordle" is just fun to say. Zoodle Wordle! Zoodle Wordle! Zoodle Wordle!)

Zoodle's nursery--the cool iron thing!

I still don't know what to call this...

...but you guys gave me so many amazing suggestions on how to use it for Zoodle's work-in-progress nursery. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I plan to continue doing some home decoration after the nursery is done, and I also plan to keep coming back here for suggestions.

I based my decision not on what the best suggestion was (how would I have chosen?!), but on what I thought would look cute and already had on hand...making this essentially a free project! I used a combination of suggestions from various awesome blog readers, including a brilliant comment from my mom, who said, "It would be so cute if you had some chaps!" (They were very easy to make.)

And here it is. (The Engineer will have to be the one to hang it up. Not my area of expertise.)

Yee haw, isn't that just so cute? The room is coming together nicely, and soon I hope to have photos of the finished project. However,"finished" is a relative term.... I plan to keep my eyes open for more great Western-themed items to add to the decor.

Feeling creative?

I need help! My parents gave me this great thing to put on Zoodle's wall.



It is dark brown iron(?) and has four hooks to hang coats or hats from. The whole piece is probably close to a meter long.

I need advice, folks--I want an idea of some cute things I can hang off these hooks! If you need a reminder of the other things I've done to the nursery, check out these posts.

The Engineer suggested a small cowboy hat and duster (longish cowboy coat.) Great idea, but while the hat might be doable, toddler-sized dusters aren't exactly common (and probably wouldn't be affordable!) So bring it on--give me some great ideas for these hooks! (By the way, his name is not four letters long.)

Thanks in advance!

Photo Extra: Zoodle's nursery--the painting

The ongoing project titled "Finish my kid's nursery before he graduates high school" continues! Armed with my computer (loaded with a cool, free, western-themed font I downloaded) a projector borrowed from The Engineer's office, and about $10 worth of materials (craft paints and brushes), I set to work today.

Told you I'd do something with that lasso on the wall! By the way, Zoodle's real name starts with an "E."

Using the projector, I pencilled in the outlines of the "brand" and the letters before turning off the projector and painting them. It worked well, and was a great, simple way to put decorative lettering on the wall. Zoodle could care less...but I sure do like it!

Zoodle's nursery--the border

I don't like painting rooms. I'm certainly not naturally talented at it--I have a hard time getting the paint on evenly, and keeping it off ceilings (and floors.) So for now, Zoodle's Cowboy-themed nursery (a work in progress) is staying off-white. That means I've got to be creative with the decor so that it's still fun and interesting.

So I headed to my local tack shop (Lowe's, the huge home improvement store) and rustled up some rope. We already had a staple gun, staples, and a stepladder, so this was a nice, cheap project--just 11 bucks for the rope.

On Friday, I got to work. A few hours later, Zoodle's room had a border. Here are pictures of the four walls.

This big lasso will have something in the middle of it--something involving paint, actually. (More on that later, of course!)

Add a boot, hat, and blue jeans (well, not actually blue), and there's plenty of inspiration for a growin' cowboy.







Whimsical rope loops and stars fill in the rest of the border.

If I'd known that decorating his nursery was going to be this fun, Zoodle might not have had to spend a year in a boring room. I'll keep workin' on it (in between cattle drives and horseback rides, of course), and I'll keep you up to date as it comes together.

Zoodle's room has a valance!

Well, it's not actually up yet, but it will be soon (hopefully later today.)

I was flying by the seat of my Wranglers on this cowboy-themed valance.  Like most "experimental" projects, the design changed as I went along.  And I gotta say, I love how it turned out, pardner.

I wanted a pieced look, so I used denim scraps that my awesome Mamma (grandma) gave me months ago.  I left the seams on the outside and frayed them in the washer for a rustic, country look.  The faux suede was given to me by my mom, and the lasso rope was the handle of a used gift bag.  I used a combo of super glue (already had it on hand) and iron-on seam bonder (Stitch Witchery) for the "applique."  All I had to buy was the Stitch Witchery, the red bandana fabric, and the thread.  Total cost, about $7.50.  Add the curtain rod, and the grand total was around $16.

Next up in Zoodle's overdue nursery:  some cute, simple plans I have for the walls.

(And thank you to everyone who commented on the original post with encouragement and even laughter!  I've been busy working on the valance and didn't respond personally to comments.)

I am so embarrassed writing this post.

When I found out I was pregnant with a boy, I started planning an adorable cowboy-themed nursery.  I thought about the cute window valance and crib skirt I'd make.  I got cowboy-themed gifts.  My mom made an awesome quilt that will eventually fit his big boy bed.  

Soon after Zoodle was born, we bought a big girl bed for Chickie.  She'd been sleeping in a daybed (converted from her crib), and we knew we'd need to put the crib in Zoodle's room once he graduated from the bassinet.

Great plans.  So why on earth is this the room he's been sleeping in?

Oh, my goodness, this is so embarrassing.  I mean, I'm not really much of a home decorating type but it's really unconscionable that my baby has been sleeping in a room we're using as a storage area.  That we've never set up Chickie's big girl bed, and therefore Zoodle snoozes in a Pack 'n' Play.

So I'm trying to get his nursery decorated before he officially exits infanthood on March 29, his first birthday.  (Or at least half done by then!)

A couple of days ago I cleared all the junk out of the room.  It took less than an hour, and the place is already improved.

Now I'm working on a valance for his window, and soon The Engineer will be setting up Chickie's full-sized bed and moving the crib into Zoodle's room.  I have more cute, cowboy-themed plans that shouldn't be too difficult or time-consuming.

Just don't tell Martha Stewart that my baby's nursery is being decorated a year late!