So I finally went through all the pictures of the vintage crib makeover I did right before Oliver was born. Yup, he’s almost 4 months old so I’m just a leetle late. He’s been a fun, little, smiley pudge to snuggle these last few months though which makes the late posting of it all okay, right? Riiight.
Here is the before of the crib. Isn’t is so cool? I had been eyeing, and I mean down-right staring at this sweet thing for several months at a local thrift store but there were a number of factors getting in the way of my ownership of this vintage treasure. One being that it was being used as a display piece for as long as I can remember going there. Nards! Don’t you hate when thrift stores use awesome vintage furniture or crates as display pieces with those big honking signs sayin, ‘NOT FOR SALE For Display Only!’
Then one day, several months back of course, I walk into the store and magically see a very tiny for sale price tag on it…but at over 100 dollars that was not about to happen. Oh well. I could only hope in the fact that everyone else felt the same way…or that the pricetag on it was uber tiny that you really had to be checkin’ it out to see it, hah.
Then, of all things, Mr. Smashed Peas and I have the day to ourselves. Crazy I know. We had a wedding to attend to so we had a babysitter for the entire day…whaaaat!?!? Woot Woot! That never happens. Well, after the wedding we were driving up to the reception locale and on the way passed by this particular thrift store. I asked (ok, begged…Mr. Smashed Peas is in no way fond of thrift stores…at all.) if I could just pop in real quick to peek around. He said I could only if I dropped him off at a store of his choice first and went back to pick him up in half an hour. Umm, yeah, I’ll totally do that. And guess, what! That leetle tiny price tag had a big red slash on it and the new price said….wait for it…
$30
Yes!! Totally True!!
$30 freakin’ dollars! I swear that never, ever happens to me!
I was so excited I bought it on the spot.
Then I had to somehow figure out how 8 months pregnant me was going to get it into my car. Thank goodness for the two very gentlemanly teenage volunteers who offered to carry it out to my car aaaand even loaded it in all in the nick of time to pick up Mr. Smashed Peas. Wooo Hooo for perfect timing 🙂
So here is the before and after, again. The original crib is made of a really dark wood and then had some sort of icky half on/half off varnish on it. I didn’t love the dark color but saw potential in it for a more updated version for our home. Since I didn’t know if Oliver was an Oliver or an Olivia (just kidding, Olivia was not on our girl name list…that’s our dog’s name silly!) I wanted to paint it a neutral yet vintage-y white since it was going to find it’s new home in my sewing studio. I figured I could make fun gender-oriented sheets for a little mattress once we knew boy or girl.
Like I mentioned in this post here. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Zinsser Cover Stain Primer spray paint. This stuff is sooo awesome. And no, they don’t pay me to say that. I just love it so I could eat it up. I used two cans to cover the entire crib inside and out (the flat board took the most primer, it was a lot more surface area than I originally thought). And then I used less than one can of the Rustoleum White in a Satin finish as a lovely top coat.
It turned out beautifully, don’t you think!
Oliver is about 2 weeks old in these pictures. Can you believe it?
What a plump little babe he has turned into!
I love the froggy-leg sleeping positions babies sleep in, ahhh. Sigh.
Thanks for stopping by today!
XOXO,
Gorgeous!!! It’s almost hard to remember how small they start without the pictures.
Totally, right!!! 🙂
Great job! That looks fabulous!
thank you so much, Brittany!
Great looking crib…..it turned out beautifully! I’m gonna get some of that Zinsser stuff! Awesome!
Zinsser stuff is the best!!!
Babies grow so fast! Don’t you wish sometimes you could stop time? Cradle is cute, but not as cute as what’s in it!
I agree wholeheartedly! And thank you so much, he is the best!!
Thank you so much for this post. I want to let you know that I posted a link to your blog in Creative Busy Bee Craft Inspirations, under the Page 2 post on Oct. 08, 2012. Thanks again.
Love the crib, but the baby inside is even cuter 🙂
Aww, thank you Hannah!!!
Beautifully done. Seeing your little one in it brings tears to my eyes, I miss my babies being so small. 🙂
They grow way too fast, don’t they!
It is beautiful! I swear I have to agree with you….a can of white spray paint can change anything!!! I do like that teeny tiny photo prop you are using there 🙂 He is so cute!!!
– Amber
HAHA! Yes, he is the cutest photo prop around!
Very nicely done and what a steal!
Thank you!! And it was a total steal cause I really felt like I was stealing get it for so cheap!
I’m with Hannah – the crib is almost as beautiful as your little one!!!
Awww! thank you!!!
What a sweet little vintage crib, and WOW what a steal of a deal! Don’t you just want to do a happy dance when something like that falls into place??
Absolutely! It’s devine intervention at it’s best!
Too cute (& the cradle looks great as well)!
Thank you Maggie 🙂
Question- not judging, love the cradle, and your post- did you use that stuff while pregnant? I am in my last 2 months and have some nursery projects I would like to finish up.
I did paint it while pregnant 🙂 I just made sure to where a really good mask so I wasn’t breathing in the yuck and I did it outside!
Did the paint have a smell afterwards? Did you let it air out for a certain amount of time? Also, how long did Oli fit in it? Thanks!!!
It didn’t smell afterward but I sprayed it outside and kept it in my garage for one night afterward. Oliver slept in it (by my side while I sewed!) until he was about 5 months, then he started moving too much and flipping over so I started laying him on the floor so I didn’t have to worry about his legs getting caught in the slats.
Maggie, I seldom comment on anything, but your baby is so beautiful that I just had to say how blessed you are! Thanks for all your site info / tutorials. You’re a blessing to everyone who reads your blog / how-to’s. Keep ’em coming!!!
Lovely crib! I have a 30 year old one and a grand baby on the way. Where did you find a mattress to fit? My old mattress is a little too small to be safe.