Goodbye Nursery

I'm sure way back when last year I showed you all pictures of Lincoln's nursery.  I spent all summer working on it and just love the woodsy cabin theme.  Ok, I was really stuck with the theme since the house we moved into already had a cabin built into his room, but even so, I still love how his room turned out.  Well today I'm starting to pack everything up and move it out.  My sister in-law will be moving into his room in a few weeks.  I'll be moving the crib and rocking chair to the garage while hopefully the rest of the stuff will fit in my room.  I already have a place for the changing table so that's half the battle (gotta have a place to store all the fluff you know).  I'm kind of sad to see it all come down, but I know that next spring we'll be able to set it all back up again.  I'm more than happy to lend out the room since Linc has yet to ever sleep in there and I know this will help my sister in-law get the jump start that she needs to buy her own place, but there's still a part of me that will miss seeing his cute room each day.  Good-bye little room.  I will miss you.  The next time I see you, you will be a cute little toddler room with a Mr. Linc in your bed.  LOL!  Who am I kidding.  I'm sure he'll still be sleeping in my bed and this room will never get used.  Oh well.  : )

itti.bitti Minkee Blankee - Review

As you all my know I have three kids.  My oldest, Riley, is 6 years old.  My middle child, Reagan, is 4 years old.  My youngest, Lincoln, is 7 months old.  Riley was a pacifier girl.  Until the age of two she had to have a pacifier at all times.  Reagan on the other hand was a blankee and bear type of girl.  To this day she still has to have her blankee and bear (yes she's sitting on the couch watching cartoons with them right now) with her at nap-time and bedtime.  I think it is soooooo cute because I too was a blankee and doll type of girl when I was little.  I love to watch how she strokes the fabric feeling it's texture, or smells her blankee without even knowing she's doing it.  I too did the same things.  Now that Linc is here I wonder what type of comfort items he will go for.  He does use a pacifier, but not as often as Riley used to.  Being the blankee & doll kid that I was I hope that he will adopt a blankee and bear like his sister.  Since he was born I've been trying to find the perfect blankee and stuffed animal.  They keep changing as I'm always finding a better one.  I think I've went through about four or five blankets already looking for the perfect one.  In the end I guess it isn't really up to me, but I can't help it.  I have a blankee addiction.

That being said I was very intrigued when I was asked to review the itti bitti Minkee Blankee.  I didn't even know that itti bitti made blankees.  All I knew was that I LOVE the feel of my itti bitti tutto diaper and I hoped that the blankee was just as nice.  When I got it in the mail I was instantly in love!  The feel of the Minkee Blankee is to die for!  Yes, I know I'm a blankee aholic so I'm slightly strange like that, but seriously this blanket is so soft.  They should make these in a bigger size that I can wrap around myself.  I'd be up for one.

Product Features:

Materials: Super soft minkee on both sides

Size: 39" x 29.5" (mine is actually 38.5" x 30" if you want to get technical)

Colors/Prints: There are 8 different colors/prints to choose from.  Each blanket has a print on one side with a small accent solid color strip.  On the other side of the blanket there is a solid color with an accent strip of the print.

Price: $39.97

What I Like:

I LOVE the feel of this blanket of course!!!  The minute I touched it I fell in love.  How could you not love it?  It's even softer than Linc's Taggies blankets and they're pretty soft.  The minkee is soft in all directions instead of just one direction and seemed to get even softer after the first wash.  Sometimes minkee is stiffer in one direction.  If you have one of the itti bitti diapers you know what I mean though.  Sooooo soft!

I love the size of the blanket.  It's just big enough that I can wrap him up in it to keep him nice and cozy, but not so big that I have to carry around this huge blanket.  These blankets are the perfect size for a carseat, stroller, baby carrier, or just wrapping them up in.  It's even big enough to use as a blanket when you convert their crib to a toddler bed.  It's just perfect.  I also like that it's a good size to lay on the ground for them to sit on, although it's so nice I'd never do that outside.  I'm sure it would wash up fine, but I don't want to chance it.

I love the weight and thickness (more like the lack of thickness) of the itti bitti Minkee Blankee.  It's only two layers of minkee (no filler layer in between) so it's very light and thin.  This is great when you want to fold it up to take on the go.  I can easily fit it in my diaper bag... as long as I don't have it overstuffed with too many diapers.  This also means it won't take up much storage in his closet, but I'm sure we'll have it out all the time so no need to store it.

I love that it's great for the winter AND the summer!  Minkee seems to have a feel to it that keeps you both warm in the winter, yet cool in the summer.  I don't know how it does it, but it does.  All the rest of Linc's blankets are designated summer or winter, but this one swings both ways.

What I Would Change:

The itti bitti tag is not so itti bitti.  Haha!  It's kind of big actually.  I know I could just cut it off, but it's such a nice looking tag that I feel bad cutting it off.  I just wish it was a little smaller.  I'm all for branding, but this tag is a bit much.

I'd come out with some new prints.  itti bitti seems to be hit and miss with their prints.  Some are SUPER cute, but some I just don't know why they picked it.  I'm not sure if it's because they're an Austrailian company and they have different tastes than Americans do or what, but I'm not loving all the prints.  Yes, it could just be me.  That being said I do love most of the prints so I guess you could say it's more a plus than a negative... I'm just picky with prints.  I can't wait to see what their next batch of prints will be!

I would make a bigger size so that us mommies (and daddies) can have a minkee blankee for ourselves.  Haha!  Maybe I should say so us blankee aholics can have one for ourselves.

In Conclusion:

I'm in LOVE with the itti bitti Minkee Blankee and I hope that Linc picks it for his favorite blankee.  Right now I use it while he's breastfeeding, napping next to me, sitting in his car seat, or just about anything else, so I'm sure it's going to stick with him for a good while.  I would totally recommend this blanket to anyone stocking up for their next baby... or even those that already have a baby or toddler.  It's a great addition and I'm tempted to say necessity for any child.  

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** Please note that while I aim to provide the most thorough and honest reviews possible, this review is based on my own preferences and experiences.  Each baby is different and each parent has different likes and dislikes.  What works for one may not work for another, so keep that in mind while doing your research.**

If you would like to purchase one of these blankets for your little one, then please visit the itti bitti US website to find a retailer near you or help support this blog by visiting my affiliate store Kelly's Closet.  You can also get the latest info by "Liking" itti bitti on Facebook or "Following" itti bitti on Twitter.

**Just a heads up.  itti bitti is sponsoring an awesome prize for the Fluffy Butts Cloth Diapering Giveaway Hop.  Check back here from June 4th - June 15th for your chance to win.**

**This product was given to me for the purpose of a review, but the review is comprised completely of my own opinions  and was not influenced by any other outside source.**

Wordless Wednesday - Lincoln's Room is Done!

After many requests to see update photos of Lincoln's room, I've finally posted them.  Wish I had a better camera and photography skills to capture the whole thing.

How To Make Your Own "Baby Well Wishes Mobile"

With our baby shower quickly approaching, I wanted to think of a way that each guest could write well wishes for the baby in a creative way. Of course there is the usual book that people write their well wishes or advice for the baby, but then it just sits on a shelf and collects dust. I wanted something that the baby could see or would contribute to the design of the nursery. That’s when I came up with the idea of incorporating a mobile into the design. Each guest would get a pendant that they could write a short note to the baby on and sign. Later I can attach all of the pendants to the mobile and hang it in the room for all to see every day.

Our baby’s nursery has a forest theme. This geared me in the right direction for the look of our mobile. I picked paint colors that I had used in other areas of the room (dark brown, sage green, and a light blue). Then I picked pendants that went along with our theme as well. I picked wood cutouts of leaves, trees, bears, deer, and turtles that I found at Michaels. I didn’t go into a lot of detail painting my pendants. I wanted to keep them simple to mimic the simple tree silhouettes that I had already painted on the walls of the nursery. Last, but not least, I picked a dark brown ribbon to hang my mobile up with.

At the baby shower I had my pendants sitting in a basket so that guests could fill them out throughout the party. Depending on the size of your baby shower you can either have each guest sign a pendant or each family sign a pendant.  We had quite a few guests so I just had each family sign a pendant.  It didn't leave a lot of room for comments, but I really was just going for a simple "We Love You" or something like that.  A thin tipped permanent marker worked best for writing, but it really depends on the type of pendants that you use for your mobile.

Now it’s time to get started on your own project. Follow the easy step by step directions below to create your own Baby Shower Well Wishes Mobile.

What You Will Need:

(Qty: 1) 12” Embroidery Hoop

(Qty: 1) 8” Embroidery Hoop

(Qty: ~ 10-25) Decorative Pendants (These can be wood cutouts, cardstock cutouts, etc.)

1/8” Ribbon To Match Nursery Décor

1/2” Ribbon To Match Nursery Décor

1" Ribbon To Match Nursery Décor

Paint

Paint Brushes

Drill with 1/8” Drill Bit (For wood cutouts) or Small Hole Punch (For cardstock cutouts)

Glue (White or Hot Glue)

Scissors

Ceiling Hook



Step By Step Instructions:

-Paint each decorative pendant. You can make them very simple and just paint them a single color or you can go very detailed and paint actual pictures on them. Get as creative as you like. Add sequins, glitter, or fabric to your pendants. There are so many possibilities. Make sure that one side of the pendant is left blank or only painted a single color. You’ll also want to make sure that the color of the plain side is light enough that writing will be easily seen on it.  (Note, If you use scrapbooking cardstock then you can just use a cool pattern and not have to paint them at all)

-Remove the inner ring from both embroidery hoops. Discard the outer ring or save for a future project.

-Paint each ring to coordinate with your nursery. You can paint them both the same color or you can paint them each a different color. If you want the finish to be really smooth then you can use spray paint, but your color choices will be much more limited. Set the rings aside.

-Place all your pendants in a basket and let each of your guest sign them at your baby shower.

-After the shower drill or hole punch a hole at the top of each pendant.  Set Pendants Aside.  Make sure that you place your hole in a location that will keep the pendant in balance when it is hung.

-Cut four pieces of the 1/2” ribbon 24” long. Glue the ends of each ribbon onto each of the four quadrants of the 12" diameter ring.  Allow the glue to dry.

-Cut four pieces of the 1/2" ribbon 7" long.  Glue the ends of each ribbon onto each of the four quadrants of the 12" diameter ring in between the longer strands of ribbon.  Allow the glue to dry.

-Glue the opposite ends of each of the 7" long ribbons on the 12" ring onto four quadrants of the 8" ring.  Allow the glue to dry.

-Take the four 24" long ribbons and pull them together at the top.  Hold your mobile up at the top and adjust each ribbon till you have the mobile balanced.  When it is balanced tie all four ribbons together at the top.  Then tie a smaller piece of the ribbon (about 12") in a bow around the knot that you just tied.

-Now using your pendants and the 1/8" ribbon, evenly disperse and tie the pendants on both the outer and the inner circle.  Just tie the ribbon onto the pendant first and then tie the other end of the ribbon onto the mobile ring.  I like to vary the lengths of the ribbon a little so that it has more interest.  After you get all your pendants situated on the mobile snip any extra ribbon that is hanging out from tying your little knots.

-If you want, at this point you can add any extra pieces that you want to the mobile.  (I added little woodland animals to mine that were more real looking).  This step is optional.

-Using your 1" ribbon glue a strip of ribbon around the perimeter of the 12" ring.  This will hide all the ties and give a nice border at the top.  If you would like you can glue a pendant right where the seam of the ribbon is to hide the seam.  You could also add more pendants onto the ribbon evenly around the edge if you wish.

-To hang your mobile just insert a c-hook into your ceiling and slip the bow loops onto the hook.

Voila!!!!!  You're done.  Now you will have a lasting memory of the well wishes and congratulations of those that are closest to you and your newest addition.  It will also be a nice accent piece in the room that will entertain your little each day.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and go on to make your own "Baby Well Wishes Mobile".  I know I love mine and I can't wait to see yours.  If you get a chance to take some pictures of your mobile then please post them on my Facebook page so I can see them.  I love to see all of your creations.  Thanks again, and don't forget to join me for another one of my Adventures In Fluff !!!