A Baby Bedding Preview

We decided early on that the two little girls would share a room, but when we made that decision, we had no idea how difficult it would be to find coordinating bedding sets. Not only did we want the sets to coordinate (or ideally, to match) one another, but we also wanted them to coordinate with the organizational system already in place in the room. As a bonus, they would also coordinate with the periwinkle paint already on the walls.

Several weeks ago, I found a modern-looking bedding set on the Target website I liked, but I could never find it on the store shelves and didn't want to place such a large order without seeing it in person. As I considered that set, we found and painted Gracie's new bedroom furniture group, the style of which lent itself to a more traditional bedding look.

I abandoned the first bedding set to begin hunting online once again, and right away found an alternate set of bedding I loved that I knew would meet all of our coordinating criteria. But would it work in the room with the now traditional furniture? Would there be too much black? Though I loved the look of the set, I wasn't willing to order it online and deal with a return.

That same week, the kids and I were out running errands and stopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond to check the bedding in stock. Lo and behold, two of the black spotted Little Miss Matched bed-in-a-bag sets sat on a clearance shelf. Each came with a comforter, bedskirt and pillow sham, and after two 20% off coupons, each cost $35 instead of the $80-90 normal price. I picked up coordinating sheet sets at Ross ($6/twin) and Babies R' Us ($9/crib). Since the two bedding sets are twins, I'll modify one comforter and bedskirt to fit the crib -- $2 provided enough black bias tape to edge the cut-down comforter. The spare pink top sheet and salvage from the crib bedding set will allow me to make window treatments at no additional expense.

We set up the crib today and tried the bedding sets on for size. The comforters look great on the beds, and the style is neither too modern nor too traditional. The periwinkle polka dots match the walls perfectly, meaning I don't have to paint. (Hooray!) The pink sheets picked up at different stores match one another perfectly and look wonderful with the bedding. The twin set meant for the crib will be quite easy to modify.

There really isn't much to do to finish out the room. I have to modify the baby's bedding set, sew and install the window treatments, make and install name plates (which means I must decide on a baby name -- eek!), apply some polka dot decals to the walls, relabel the shelving system using polka dot tags, and bring in all the baby's clothes and diapers.

I have to say it is very strange to have a crib set up in my house, but the reality is we have no more than ten weeks before baby is here, even if I go very close to full-term (and provided all goes well until the end). Realistically, we have more like seven to nine weeks -- a span of time so brief I can barely wrap my mind around it! Though I am extraordinarily grateful to be in my present position, making room for baby has not been totally easy. I'm counting the days until this irreconcilable state is over and a new little someone is here to take advantage of the work I've done.

Making Room for Baby


Shelf Space and a Changing Station


Gracie and the Spotty Frog


Crib Potential
(Set Still to be Modified -- Just Trying on for Size)


Gracie's New Bedding Set


Ta-Dah!