I’ve Been Slacking
May 29th, 2008 by ariana
Or procrastinating on the nursery tree mural project.
This past weekend I decided that the tree on the wall behind the glider is too much for such a small space.. where we really need it is on the wall behind the crib. All this does is make the project more difficult because instead of a straight up tree, we now need a tree that leans to the left so that the crib doesn’t block the trunk completely. What can I say, I’m full of “great” ideas.
Jeff came up with this design:
He insisted on putting the monkey in the illustrator mock up, but there will be no monkey. Jeff is obsessed with monkeys, and while I have nothing against them, I don’t see how there would be a monkey in an orchard, which is the theme of the nursery (birds, apples trees). This is also the problem I have with the tree he designed, I LOVE it, but it looks more like an African tree- perfect for a Safari theme – but not so much with the orchard.
So now I don’t know what I want to do. Maybe buy some cool etsy prints and call it a day?
Just about the only thing I got accomplished over the long weekend was that I took all my make up out of the drawers of the cragislist vanity so they could be moved downstairs onto the porch and off of the nursery floor. At least we were pleasantly surprised at how well the vanity functions (without mirror of course) as a little plant/accessories table down on the porch.. that solved my problem of what to do do with it as I really didn’t want to get rid of it alltogether:
The vanity sans mirror, in it’s new home on the porch.
I’m hoping this weekend will be more productive.. but I’m not counting on it given my current lack of motivation. Is it the allergies? The fact that I’m now almost 30 weeks pregnant? I’m not sure, but I only have 10 weeks left for that nesting instinct to kick in before baby comes!
I think if you replaced that monkey with a couple happy bluebirds, it would fit right in with your orchard theme. Or maybe the hubby could add some apples or pears to the tree, with a few birds flying nearby?
Also, this seller on etsy has some really cool wall decals. I don’t usually like wall decals, but some of these are really pretty. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5226382
Good luck!
I actually like the tree Jeff designed. It doesn’t bother me at all that it’s more African styled instead of your typical orchard tree. In fact I think it’s kind of mod looking and cool. I do see where you’re coming from, but personally I wouldn’t stare myself blind on the orchard detail too much. I think the tree looks cool the way it hangs over the crib like that.
If you can spare him, can we borrow Jeff to design some stuff for our nursery? We’re going to buy some white vinyl and cut some patterns out on my plotter to stick throughout the nursery. We don’t have any specific ideas yet though, and we’re already at 32 weeks. We’d better hurry!
I think the tree mockup you’ve done looks fab. It doesn’t remind me of an african tree at all. Just makes it feel a little more billowly/breezy (which works well with your color scheme). You should totally do this.
PS: I like the monkey too. I know it doesn’t quite go with your orchard concept but its a little bit of whimsy and since its a cartoon monkey, I think you can make it work.
I also like the monkey and he could be an escaped monkey in the orchard. We had one in town not too long ago. I also think the tree looks like the apple tree in my yard, so not so out of place (maybe the monkey is clouding your vision.)
That wall is a nice place for a mural, especially since you’ll want to avoid hanging anything the kid can pull off the wall.
Please don’t take this wrong…
Your husband just created the most adorable original piece of art for his son’s room so why not let it be, even if it isn’t physically or globally accurate? I think it’s adorable and years from now your kid will only care ‘that my Dad made it for me.’
I have a note that my dad wrote me when I was two. My father does not write very well and many of the sentences are grammatically incorrect (not that I’m an expert) and many words are mispelled but I cherish it just the same. Everything does not have to be perfect as long as it’s done with love.
Here’s a 4th. It doesn’t look like an African tree to me. I love the windswept look, I thought lullabies and old English nursery rhymes, and romantic windswept cottages. I think the color scheme is helping a lot too.
As for the monkey, that’s a little more up to you. :)
Personally, I like it too, and think it goes fine in a child’s room. Technically, yes, it is out of place in an orchard, but so will most of the toys the baby has, and if you plan on keeping the designs through toddler-hood, most kids love animals. It’s very sweet looking.
The tree is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. GREAT job Jeff!
With or without the monkey.
Go for it!!!!
Your child will love it!
And Ariana great job throughout the entire house.
You have worked so hard making everything come together in a wonderfully comfy home for your “3 lil family”.
Im going to have to agree with the masses…the tree is WAY cute…and not too African at all, howevor I will agree with you that Monkey needs to go, I grew up in the land of Apples (WA) and as much as I may have wanted a monkey..there were none. How lucky for your baby though that both his parents have great style and creativity.
I’m a little surprised that you’d ditch such a cute design (monkey et al.) for such a stupid reason. I hope you come to your senses and do it, the baby would love the whimsy.
Oh my goodness, I guess maybe we need to do the tree and with the monkey!! Jeff will be thrilled.. thanks for knocking some sense into me everyone :)
Hi! Just stumbled across your site through google alerts. We run http://www.projectnursery.com and hope you take a moment to check it out. Your nursery is looking great and we really like your style. I am sure whatever tree you decide on (and it does look great on the wall with the crib)it will come out looking fabulous. Just wanted to introduce ourselves and we would love to feature your hardwork on our site as a “project of the week” when your near completion. Congrats on your pregnancy.
You worry way too much! No one is going to come over and say “um, isn’t that an orchard? And is that a monkey?!”. If you don’t use it you can send Jeff my way to do it as is – I absolutely love it! Kudos to Jeff and I totally agree with lsaspacey.
I think you have a designer mind. But the room is for your baby not a client.
The tree looks really nice.
Paint it this weekend and you will feel great when it is done.
MONKEY”S RULE!!!
I was thinking you could do the monkey as a separate vinyl graphic and remove it/switch it out when you tire of it.
the Monkay can be looking for apples to eat – that would explain why he was in the orchard. . . hungry monkeys like apples. . .
Ok ok, I’ve been beaten into submission by the blogosphere!
If we can just figure out how to get it on the wall we will :)
I stumbled upon your blog yesterday and LOVE it – you have great taste!
I can totally relate – I obsess like you. For example, I was thinking of buying a french provincial dining room table and chairs – but, I was overwhelmingly concerned about my china not matching the furniture (and wishing that I had registered for a country-style Gien pattern, instead of a sleek Bernardaud)!
Though the tree and monkey are adorable… if it will bug you every time you see it, maybe Jeff can tweak it a little – or, maybe lose the monkey and add some birds or apples as Artsy Fartsy suggested.
love that tree and that monkey- sweet.
don’t hate me.
I torture myself the same way about wanting everything to match perfectly. That said, now that I have kids, I can tell you that no matter how obsessively you try to arrange that room, as soon as your baby is mobile, the room will devolve into chaos. And it won’t even be the baby’s fault. Your relatives will keep giving the baby stuff that doesn’t go at all with the room you’ve created, and what can do? You have to put in in the room, because a) the baby likes it and you don’t want to be mean and take it away or b) the relatives will ask about it and come looking for it. It’s an exhausting never-ending battle.
That said, I love the windswept tree. And I LOVE the monkey! (I wanted a monkey theme for our older daughter, couldn’t find any monkey bedding and wasn’t adept enough at sewing at the time to make my own bedding.) But I get that monkeys don’t really belong in orchards (unless they escape from the zoo, as mentioned above!) But in thinking about what else could be hanging from the tree that would belong there (a possum, a tire swing, a child?) I can’t think of anything that would look as cute as the monkey.
Maybe you could go with a nest and bird? (Still not as cute as the monkey though!)