The Girl and the Bed

So, a few weeks ago Lydia was sick, so she slept in our bed instead of in her crib. Then we went to the beach, so she slept in a twin trundle instead of her crib. Then my mom was in town, so she slept in her guest bed instead of her crib. The result, she now asks to sleep in a big bed instead of her crib. I knew this day was coming, but I had visions of moving all the furniture out of my guest room/craft room, painting the walls, buying furniture and bedding, and then transitioning her from nursery to her own big girl room. Instead, it has been a gradual and incomplete transition. First, I lowered the bed. This isn't just any bed. Family legend holds that it was found in the family farm house when my grandmother married my grandfather and moved in. At some point it made it's way to my family's household and eventually became mine. I think my brother had it first and I can't remember why I got it. Either way, it is a very old bed. It is also a very high bed, or at least it was. Because the rails are so high, I was able to place the box spring and mattress directly on the floor and they fit perfectly under the frame. So Lydia gets a big girl bed. I don't have to buy a bed or try to store this one in the attic. Because it is on the floor, I don't have to worry about her falling out of bed.

Now, because none of the furniture is changed, the challenge is making it her room and somehow different from my craft/guest room. We have a few more modifications to work out around the house so we don't want to spend any money on new bedding or furniture right now. Fortunately, I had several quilts in my possession to choose from. I settled on using this beautiful pink and red cross-stitch quilt that my mom made for me a few years ago. I had maroon drapes and accents in the room already so it matched but definitely gave the room a younger feel. It also looks good with the Alice in Wonderland quilt that my mom gave Lydia for her birthday. I have that quilt resting over the foot board. I used a few scrap pieces from that quilt fabric to cover a small pillow so that ties it together even more. Then I added a few of her dolls, toys, books, and pictures and it is really starting to make the room look like it belongs to a little girl. Now I just need to move out all of my junk!

Finally, check out the furry pink pig slippers I found the other day. She wanted to sleep in them!