Moving on up!

When the baby comes, he will be in Jack's room until he's old enough for the boys to share.  Ella and Jack will share her room until that day.  Here is what the kids' rooms look like right now.

When we moved into this house, Jack's walls were already blue. Bright blue. I tried to live with it for awhile, but it was too much like a cave, even with two windows. A few months after we moved in, we painted it pale blue.

 The new color almost looks white against the bright blue.

I went with red, white, and blue, but centered around modes of transportation.  Here's the hot air balloon wall.  The 3D one is a wind chime, and the others are fabric attached with corn starch.  I'll probably do a tutorial soon, because I think I'm going to do it again when I redecorate Ella's room. 

My mom made those cute curtains out of things she found around the house while we were in the hospital with Jack.  Creative lady, my mom.

The glider is the same one we had in our old house, but with a new slipcover. The cherry cover is underneath, in case we had a girl next.

This is the Hoosier cabinet that we have used for a changing table.  It was actually my grandparents' kitchen when they were first married.  Handsome Hero calls it the Hoosier Daddy cabinet.  Funny guy, my Handsome Hero.

Here's the choo-choo that's above the closet door.  Just carrying on the transportation theme.

I do like this room, and it will be a great nursery for the baby.  Everything is ready for him. 

Then there's Ella's room.  We left the walls beige until we could think of something better.  Now I'm glad, since it makes a great canvas for a girl-boy bedroom.

Notice the branch over her bed?  That didn't last long.  I started to notice that it seemed smaller and smaller, and finally realized she was breaking it apart bit by bit to use as food in her play kitchen.

We kept the hutch the same, and to make the room more feminine, added this border across the top like moulding.  Its just pre-cut scrapbook paper stapled to a pleated ribbon and attached with tacks, but I hope it looks like bunting that I labored over. :)

This is the bubble wall.  Again, in an attempt to feminize, I put girly fabric in some embroidery hoops.

Now, I realize Ella's room is distinctly girly, but if you look, there is very little that isn't easily changeable.  Once we decide on a color scheme, the embroidery hoops can go or I can add new fabric for under $10.  The fabric in the back of the hutch shelves can be changed out, and the curtains changed.  Take off the border, and you have a surprisingly gender-neutral room.

Jack wouldn't care if I left it as it is.  I know that.  However, I love the idea of making this experience special for both of them by making it their room instead of having him move into her room.  I also love the idea of doing some simple things now for them, and then creating a really wonderful space for Ella once Jack moves out.  After all, she and I will be the only girls in the house!