Cradle Makeover

Since I have a tendency to think up and even start projects and not finish them, I’m really excited to show one that actually turned out just like I wanted. 

A few months ago while wandering a thrift store, I found a dirty 1980s wooden cradle, complete with Strawberry Shortcake sticker decals.  Now, I loved Strawberry Shortcake dolls as a kid, but it definitely needed a facelift.  It’s obviously handmade and was probably a special present for someone, so it makes me happy to give it new life.

It was priced at $12.99, but after AN HOUR of standing in line, the clerk accidentally rang it up for $2.99.  Oh well – I’m worth more than $10 an hour so I don’t feel too guilty about this little discount. J  P.S. An hour wait is insane.  A lady had 4 grocery carts full of clothes and random, sometimes broken stuff.  It was like watching Hoarders in the making – she would also grab little things near the register and shove them in the carts.  Weird.

Here it is after some paint, accents, and a new little blanket:

  

The overall cost: less than $10.

I would have liked to get a well-lit pic, but at least the stuffed animals were emptied.  

The details:

The white paint was a $3 sample pot, and the pink and navy are basic craft paints.  I freehanded the stars with a gold Sharpie, and even though a few several ended up looking like deformed starfish, I like the overall effect. 

Papillon supervisor.

I measured the inside and made the blanket roughly the same size with some scrap minky and Heather Bailey fabric. 

Even though it was supposed to be a Christmas present, I made the Valentine’s Day deadline so I’m counting it for that.  Maddie LOVES it and it looks great in her room (even with the ugly inherited blue walls).  She puts her stuffed animals in, rocks them, covers them with the blanket, and says “Nigh Nigh”.  So cute!!  

Here's a bona fide before and after comparison:

 

And finally, this pretty much sums up my life:

T-Rex needed a good scrub down.  Her curls!!  I die.