Okay, back with more on the nursery. &nbsp;Let's talk theme. &nbsp;My own nursery was done in this fantastic mushroom toile. &nbsp;It had brown sketches of deer &amp; other forest creatures as the background, with red, blue, &amp; yellow mushrooms in the foreground. &nbsp;It looked like this, only the toile was brown instead of the blue in this photo (it also was made in green as you can see in the close-up).
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Mushroom Toile blue-1" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/1064478336_a97d64e4d4.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="300" /></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Mushroom toile blue-2" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/fabricmushrooms.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="299" /></p>
Props to my parents for picking out cool fabric and designs in the 70's (thanks, Mom!). &nbsp;Does anyone else have those feelings of attachment to things that their parents picked out or just had in the house? &nbsp;I didn't really notice it until I started my "serious apartment design" phase. &nbsp;By which I mean, when I really started noticing design and began buying items that I felt would last me long into my when-I'm-married-with-a-house-and-kids future. &nbsp;(Did I mention that I used to bring the IKEA catalog with me on flights in 2000? &nbsp;I had never actually been to an IKEA store, but I was fascinated by the catalog &amp; the use of bright, modern colours &amp; design. &nbsp;This was also the time when I was certain I would be an Interior Designer.) &nbsp;Point being, that the items I grew up using like the house-shaped cookie jar that my mom made in a ceramic studio or the one copper pan they hung on the wall and only brought out to make sautéed zucchini (which my sister &amp; I abhorred) became a part of me. &nbsp;Naturally, my idea of a baby nursery built upon where my own experiences began: in the mushroom forest.
<div>See those turquoise blues and greens in the mushroom patterns? &nbsp;That's what I'm going with. &nbsp;You've already seen the colours in a&nbsp;<a title="BLOG: Nursery Happenings: Colour + Crib" href="http://teamoswald.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/nursery-happenings-colour-crib/" target="_blank">previous post</a>. &nbsp;Basically, its bright modern colors without a specific theme. &nbsp;That's kind of how we do things here at Villa Oswald. &nbsp;We want the design to evolve rather than run out and buy a whole matching set from a big box store. &nbsp;I've never really taken to the matchy-matchy look.</div><p>
<div>And as previously discussed, we are waiting on doing a lot of the more colourful decorating for our next home (aka Autumn/Winter of this year). &nbsp;Until then, let me fill you in on some small pieces that we do have all good to go. &nbsp;Like this swanky silver cup &amp; spoon from my mom. &nbsp;She walked me over to one of her curios showcasing all sorts of treasures and let me choose b/t two cups. &nbsp;The classic style and shape of the handle won me over...not to mention the daffodil detail.</div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter" title="Baby cup profile" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dscn8656.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="299" /></div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter" title="Baby cup daffodil" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dscn8655.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="532" /></div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter" title="Baby spoon-2" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dscn8653.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="532" /></div><p><p>
<div>In a recent video chat, Mom actually said she wanted the silver goodies back unless we told her the mysterious name of our little girl. &nbsp;She's crafty. &nbsp;And see that green material that the cup and spoon are sitting atop of? &nbsp;Mom made towels for said little girl. &nbsp;Four simple washcloth squares + two hooded bath towels with dark green edging = one smiling mum-to-be.</div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter" title="Baby towels" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dscn8659.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="532" /></div><p>
<div>Mom also passed along a few things that used to be in my own nursery. &nbsp;BIG smiles to these choice items. &nbsp;One being the Peter Rabbit book set with all the individual story books of the Beatrix Potter characters: &nbsp;Jemima Puddle Duck, Squirrel Nutkin, the Flopsy bunnies, and of course Peter Rabbit. &nbsp;I have such a soft heart for these little books and am overwhelmed with gratitude that they have found their way to us.</div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-486" title="peter-rabbit-books borrowed" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/peter-rabbit-books.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="345" /></div><p>
<div>Remember the mushroom forest toile I mentioned? &nbsp;Well Mom took my fading quilt and gave it new life! &nbsp;She used the original front and back material to make this bea-U-ty!</div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter" title="Baby PR quilt full" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dscn8643.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="532" /></div><p>
<div>Like my loverly assistant?  Doesn't he look truly excited to be my quilt model??</div><p>
<div>Inside the squares, she used her nifty sewing machine to add in embroidered characters from the Beatrix Potter stories. &nbsp;You should see this machine; it's genius. &nbsp;She can download designs from the internet and put them on just about anything. &nbsp;Ask Stephen about the towels with the Arsenal football club logo that he received for Christmas...pure genius.</div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter" title="Baby PR quilt half" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dscn8642.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="299" /></div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter" title="Baby PR quilt char sq" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dscn8645.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="299" /></div><p>
<div>This is the original material up-close. &nbsp;I beefed up the colour saturation, so you could see what the design looked like in its hey days of yore; the photos above are more true-to-life of the design now (faded with love, love, love):</div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter" title="Baby PR quilt design up close" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dscn8641_2.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="532" /></div><p>
<div>This is the original backing, made into the backing for the new quilt:</div><p>
<div><img class="aligncenter" title="Baby PR quilt back" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dscn8648.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="299" /></div><p>
<div>Don't worry, I have more to share. &nbsp;This is not the last you'll hear of Beatrix Potter on our Blog -or- the last nursery post.  We were blessed with many things for the baby while on holiday that are slowly making their way into our posts. &nbsp;Sorry to go on and on about our baby plans, but it's kind of the hot topic in Villa Oswald these days. &nbsp;Every day through the door, Stephen gets an earful of what is on its way to Italy in preparation for&nbsp;the baby. &nbsp;I mean if he has to hear it so much, then no one is safe. &nbsp; :::Kidding:::</div><p>
<div>What small things have been passed down to you -or- your children that you hold dear?</div>