CorinaV’s blog

Dad's first Fathers Day is special - after all it won't happen again! It's important therefore to get things off to a good start and find a great gift idea that is both unique and personalized. But how easy is it to find a gift that's different from the norm, and how can you make sure that Fathers Day gets off to a flying start?

A personalized photo collage puzzle is the ideal first Fathers Day gift for any father, including those that are usually difficult to buy for. The concept revolves around a jigsaw puzzle created from a professionally designed collage of photos from your child's first year of life.

Personalized with images from your little one's early days, the photo collage is both extremely memorable and completely unique, and probably one of the most appropriate gifts you could ever give a loving father. Not only is a photo collage puzzle an attractive gift, it is also great fun to solve. Piecing together the images that hold such special memories leading up to Dad's first Fathers Day is a lovely way to remember the day.

Unlike any other gifts, this is ideal for all the family to enjoy, immortalizing every special moment represented in the photos chosen for your collage. A photo collage puzzle ticks boxes on so many levels as the perfect gift idea for any Fathers Day.

If you are artistic, you can create the Photo Collage layout yourself. Alternatively you can get a professional designer do it for you. Just search for "Photo Collage Puzzle" on the internet to find a suitable company. Either way, you will need to select around 15-20 photos and send them off to the designer together with any title, or other wording you want to add to the layout. All you have to do now is sit back and wait to receive the design preview of the layout for your approval.

Once Dad and the rest of the family finish making the puzzle, it can be easily mounted and framed so you can cherish this unique photo collage for years to come. Finding the right first Fathers Day gift may not seem like a big deal, but with a little thought, you can capture the essence of your child's development within a gift that's something quite extraordinary.

After all, you only get one shot at Dad's first Fathers Day, so its important to make it special, and there really is no better way than finding the kind of gift that's likely to make your Dad really sit up and take notice.

Is your dad the guy who has everything? Do you struggle every year to come up with the perfect gift? When you ask your dad what he wants, does he reply with something sweet but unhelpful like: “You don’t need to get me anything. Knowing you are healthy and happy is the best gift I could get!” Luckily, we’ve included below a few suggestions that can really help out on Father’s Day, and make him as happy as he’s made you!

Sometimes, traditional gifts like ties, t-shirts, and wallets just don’t cut it. Give your dad something fun and different, without having to go over budget.

Little Gadgets Big Smiles

Even for dad’s who aren’t Mister New Technology, small gadget’s can be cool, as long as they’re easy to operate. For example, consider a key-chain digital camera, a fancy case for his cell phone or PDA, or even a blue tooth. Not only can these gifts make his life more convenient they can also make him the “cool dad!” Or, if he’s really behind, get him a “Texting for Dummies” book. You can get him a useful gift that makes him laugh too!

Mix and Match

If you’ve got a new dad of an infant, here’s another great idea. Get your new son and husband a matching outfit. For example, perhaps you could get them a personalized t-shirt with a picture of them together, or maybe matching sport’s paraphernalia from his favorite team. The possibilities are endlessly cute!

Plush with a Purpose

It may not be the first idea to occur to you, but we never really grow out of stuffed animals, and their more useful than you’d think. Maybe you’re tired of seeing dad’s hats or keys all over. Get him a teddy bear that would be perfect for wearing his favorite hat when he’s not, or use the stuffed animal as a perfect place to store his otherwise often misplaced pair of keys. You could make the gift even more meaningful by buying a look-a-like for his favorite animal or pet. Maybe his favorite childhood pet was a golden retriever, so get him the stuffed dog version!

A Whole Lot of Memories

You and you’re dad have shared some special times, so why not collect those memories and make an incredibly meaningful gift? Just get together pictures of your favorite moments together, whether they be that time he took you canoeing, or that time he taught you how to ride a bike. On the back of the pictures, write a quote or some other message that will express how you feel about the wonderful times you’ve shared together. Then get a nice album and assemble the whole thing together. Dad will be touched as he flips through the pages.

So as you can see, there are many ways you can go with this Father’s Day present. You can be practical with technology gifts like a new Bluetooth, or you can be fun with a plush dog for dad, or you can be sentimental with the picture album. Do what fits your dad and your gift giving style the best. And you never know, that “Texting for Dummies” book you got him may be more useful than you know. He could even start texting better than you!

Your children’s room and playroom may be the most exciting room in the house, but it can also be the most disorganized. If the closest you get to putting away your kid’s toys, stuffed animals, and games is throwing them on the floor, then you have a problem. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be embarrassed to have guests over. Clean up the disorganization with the following tips:

Key Tip #1: Storage

Storage items are critical when it comes to the organization of your child’s room, so the first thing you’ll need to do is clear some space. Even in a small room, storage items can save space. Here are some ideas that will fit any size room.

Probably the most ideal storage item for a child’s room is something you wouldn’t necessarily expect: fabric boxes. These have several major advantages over other types of storage. For one they are sturdy enough to hold practically any toy or plush animal, yet they are soft and free of sharp corners enough to be safe for children. They also come in many sizes, assuring appropriateness for any space. And lastly, they come in practically any color, meaning it’s easy to find one that fits the theme of your child’s room and matches perfectly. So once you choose a few of these colorful boxes, they can be placed in any empty corner, or even set right at the end of a bed, which is a very traditional place for a toy chest. And remember, organization doesn’t have to stop there, assuring that you have a chaotic box. You can get different sized storage boxes to organize toys by type. For example, get a small red basket to keep small toys in, such as cars and games. Then use a bigger, green box for the large toys, which could include plush toys and dolls. If you have extra large toys, such as giant teddy bears or life sized dolls, place them neatly on the floor, bed, or dresser as a piece of your decorating motif.

If you feel your floor space is too limited for this, here’s another option: hanging storage! Get a couple of colorful hanging wall baskets with pockets. These are extremely functional, save on space, and are fun besides! Place your hanging storage on the door or next to the window and you’ve got the perfect tool to keep your child’s room organized! Just having these storage boxes or baskets will put you on your way to a neat room. You’ll find that cleaning up all the clutter on a daily basis should only take 5 minutes or so, making creating a neat room a snap!

Key Tip #2: Functionality

The key to keeping a room organized is functionality. Even if your toy to space ratio is uneven, you can still keep the room ready for visitors. Just remember to use each space and piece of furniture for a specific purpose.

Room furnishings should be arranged in such a way that there is plenty of space for storage and storage boxes. Sometimes the furniture itself can play a part in this. You can get a higher bed, or add a leg extension, which will create room underneath the bed for you to place storage. This way smaller toys can have bins that fit under the bed and out of sight. Remember to categorize these boxes so certain types of toys go in them, which means you’ll always be able to find what you need. Also, if for some reason you’re not a fan of storage boxes and baskets, you could keep the floor organized by creating a “stuffed animal corner.” First start with the bigger plush toys, for example, lean a big stuffed dog against the wall corner. Then place the smaller toys around it (such as teddy bears and dolls) and other standing toys (like games and other items) can be placed under and beside. This way the toys aren’t spread all over, and give functionality to an otherwise empty, and boring, corner. While this might not be the easiest way to clean up, as you have to arrange the toys every time instead of just throwing them in bins, it does create a wonderful decorating motif.

So there you go, using these tips will make handling clutter in your child’s room a snap! Remember, a little organization will make every part of your house attractive and functional. As a last tip, teach your children to put away toys every time they are finished playing. This assures that not only will their rooms be guest ready at all times, but they will also be taught the all important value of responsibility!

Surprise gifts are always welcomed and those which have be given careful thought and consideration are always that little bit more special.

Throughout the world a day is dedicated to remembering fathers. In some countries the day has a religious significance, while in other countries the day is coupled with a national holiday to enable families to spend time together to remember their fathers and forefathers. Irrespective as to why the day is dedicated to fathers each country keeps their own tradition of giving gifts as tokens of love and affection.

In the US there is little religious significance given to the day, however the tradition of giving gifts remains to be very popular. It is predicted that even with the credit crunch affecting many people's spending power, fathers of all ages will be given a gift on his special day.

Families may pool their money to give them more spending power which is a great idea to get a gift which is as unique and individual as their dad. The types of gifts being brought has also changed in recent years, with the emphasis now being on giving people new life experiences rather than material objects.

Of course if you know your dad is dying for someone to buy him a new drill or the latest novel by his favourite author these would make ideal gifts which you know will be fully appreciated.

However, it is also a well known fact that men are notoriously difficult to buy gifts for! Unlike a birthday or Christmas presents a gift on this special day should be a complete surprise! So what do you buy your dad? This will depend on his age and ability to some extent, moreover the gift should be tailored especially for you dad rather than a gift which ends up being used by other family members!

Older dads may prefer more sedate life experiences, a gift which teaches him something new and enhances his life would be greatly appreciated as your dad will realise that you don't think of him as to old to try something new!

Summer concerts or tickets to see a West End show may be right up your dad's street, alternatively he may prefer to spend the week end away enjoying a round of golf with his friends.

The choice of suitable gifts for fathers day are endless, as such it may be a good idea to get an experience day voucher to enable your day to choose his own unique gift this year. Giving a voucher may seem like an easy way out, but for those who have a limited budget it is far better to let your dad chose his gift, rather than you paying out for something he will never use. These types of gifts are not a cost effective way of spending money, whereas as an experience day voucher can be used any time of the year not just on father's day.

It’s time for another Father’s Day, and as always, you want to get the dads in your life that perfect gift. This isn’t always easy, especially if you have a young child who also needs to get dad a present. You need to find something special for a kid to give, as well as making sure it’s something that dad can show off at work or family gatherings. Getting a gift that fulfills both obligations can be a tall order.

Luckily, with these simple and fun gift basket ideas, getting together a Father’s Day gift with your family is a snap! Gift baskets are a great present, plus they have the ability to fit any budget. Also, they’re something that even the youngest child can help you with, assuring that you’ll have a fun family activity. Dad is sure to enjoy this unique gift!

The “Grilling Master” Gift Basket

Ask yourself this: is it an accident that Father’s Day falls on the beginning of summer, also known as barbecue season? What dad doesn’t enjoy showing off his mad grilling skills? That’s why a new barbecuing tool set would be a great idea, and you can turn it into a “Grilling Master” basket, all you need is the following:

First, a medium sized wooden basket, which can be found practically anywhere, from an arts and crafts store to your local supermarket.

Second, the tools, you can get them either individually, or in a barbecue set.

Third, get spices and sauces for the actual preparation of the meat, which can include seasoning, Hickory sauce, or even steak sauce.

Fourth, get green “Easter grass”, or some other kind of shredded paper to fill out the bottom of the basket.

Fifth, get a teddy bear or other cute stuffed animal, preferably something masculine. This will make the basket just that much more fun!

Lastly, have your kids create a card by hand for that special touch.

Now it’s time to put the basket together. First, place the Easter grass or shredded paper on the bottom of the basket. Now you can arrange the items, and it helps to start with the big items first. Put the teddy bear in the middle as a centerpiece, then arrange the tools around the edges circularly, use tape or wires to keep them in place. Arrange the small items, like the spices and sauces wherever there is space. Don’t forget to leave some room for the card! In fact, one great idea would be to leave the teddy bear’s arm visible so that it looks like the bear is holding the card. And there you go, you have the perfect gift basket for your master griller!

The “Outdoor Lover” Gift Basket

If your dad isn’t the type who liked to barbecue, here’s another great idea for a dad-friendly gift basket. If you’d categorize him as an outdoorsman, then why not make him a special activities gift basket? This could include, hiking, fishing, or even canoeing. Here’s what you’ll need:

Start the same why you would with the Grilling Master gift basket, with a basket and filling, and the kid’s hand-drawn card.

Next, get a local trail map, which will help him get around during hikes.

You could also include a season pass to one of the parks in the area, and/or a fishing license.

Get an inflatable life jacket and include it in the basket, if he’s a canoe fan. (Or really any kind of boat fan).

If you have more money to spend, get him a semi-professional camera so he can capture all his outdoor moments.

Or if you don’t have as much money, get a few disposable cameras. You can justify this by pointing out that if this camera where to get lost in the woods or fall overboard into the water, it would be no great loss.

Also include another stuffed animal for the centerpiece, but this time choose a forest animal (like a stuffed raccoon,) or a friendly pet (such as a plush dog), to accompany dad on his trip.

Now put it all together. As before, put the grass or shredded paper at the bottom of the paper and then arrange the stuffed animal in the center. Then put the bigger items around the edges and fix them in place. Then add everything else around the edges.

So there you go, two baskets to really impress dad on this father’s day. Plus, making the gift basket a family project means you all get to spend time together, and insures that everyone can be proud of this great gift for dad!

Another Mother’s Day has come around, giving us the chance to show our heartfelt appreciation for the special women in our lives. Mothers tend to be the center of our universe when we are young, as we depend on them for everything and they graciously provide for all of our physical and emotional need. But now that we are adults our relationships have changed. She’ll always be your mother, but now she’s also become a helper, a teacher, a friend and even a confidante. So we have even more reasons to be grateful and make this Mother’s Day as special as we possibly can.

And if you have children, it’s up to you to make sure that they have the help necessary to give mom the best gift ever. Kids love to make their mom happy on her special day, but sometimes it can be a little hard to get started. That’s why with these easy and cute ideas will be the perfect thing to thrill mom this Mother’s Day, and the kids will have fun providing her gift too!

A Day on a Cruise Card

Let’s face it, being a mom is hard work. That’s why practically every mom would like to take a relaxing cruise on the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, this may be a bit pricey for a child, but that doesn’t mean they still can’t create the sentiment. Have the child put together a "Cruise Photo Card" for mom, just make sure that there is an adult there to supervise the entire project. Give the child a piece of white construction paper and some crayons and have them draw their own luxury cruise liner. Make sure the ship includes all the usual luxury items, like a main deck, a pool deck, a first class deck, and so on. Draw the boat in the ocean, and then they can name the cruise ship something appropriate for mom. For example, make mom smile with the title of "Mom’s Dream Boat." Then give them some pictures of family members to glue on various locations on the ship. For instance, you could stick a picture of dad on one of the cabin windows, put your dog on the main deck, and show mom relaxing by the pool. Then all you need is to help the child construct a nice note to mom on the picture relaying their happy wishes to her for Mother’s Day. And there you go. This can be a great craft project for children of all ages, as it doesn’t require too much skill. Now mom will have a wonderful keepsake to keep for years to come.

"My Mom and Me" Teddy Bear Hug

If the cruise ship idea isn’t your cup of tea, another option can be to create a teddy bear family. All you’ll need for this project will be two teddy bears (one small and one large), some ribbons, red construction paper, and some crayons or markers. Place the small bear next to the bigger bear, or in front of it, and then connect them with the ribbon. This symbolizes how mom protects and cares for them. You could even have them face each other. Then you can help (or at least supervise) as the child uses the construction paper to cut out the shape of a heart or a flower. On the construction paper shape have them write a loving message to their mom. Then, use some more ribbon to tie the message to the little bear, as if its giving the message to its bear mama. There is no mother whose heart won’t melt a little when she receives this gift from her little one. Remember, gifts built from scratch always mean more, especially when they are created by the children we love!

So there you go, with these easy to create Mother’s Day gifts, you can set the tone for the perfect day. Children don’t need to be great artists to melt mom’s heart, after all, neither of these ideas requires a lot of skill. And all they need is some basic items such as paper, crayons, and the timeless and adorable gift of a teddy bear! Remember, when mom pulls this gift out years later she’ll instantly feel the love she felt that Mother’s Day!

While creating and designing a baby boy’s nursery can be fun, it can also be very difficult. It involves a lot of decisions to be made, such as what colors to paint the walls and what type of furniture and decorations would go best. And though sometimes it may seem like there is more flexibility when it comes to decorating a girl’s room then there is for a boy’s room, you’ll soon see that’s not the case. Take a look at the decorating ideas outlined below and you’ll see that there are many accessories and themes available in order to decorate and design a wonderful nursery for your new baby boy!

Before you start, remember to take a look at the overall character of your home so that your new baby’s room won’t be out of place. For example, if your home is more traditional, choose accessories and colors to match. Or, if your home is modern in style, also make your baby’s room modern. And remember, regardless of which route you go, every nursery will need the basics, which includes a crib, a dresser or clothing cabinet, changing table, and toys and stuffed animals to really make the new room feel like the place for a child. Once you have these basics, you can move on to the task of finding decorations.

This may sound complicated, but it’s really not. We will show you how to create a truly “dynamic” room with only a few accessories and some creativity on your part. We’ll keep things general so that you can adapt these tips into any theme you’d like. Some good ones would be a space theme, a sports theme, a car theme, or a cowboy theme, but you can use your imagination!

Starting with the Basics

First, you need to choose the colors and the furniture for your new nursery. For a boy’s room, darker colors are usually very appropriate. For example, you could use darker green for a sports theme, or golden-brown for a cowboy theme, or dark blue for a space theme. And because you’re going to use darker colors for the walls, you should keep the furniture a lighter color, and one that will be complimentary. For example, white furniture would go great with blue or green walls, and birch would be a great choice for a cowboy theme.

So, once the colors of the room is chosen, choosing furniture becomes very easy. In fact, you can make it even easier by finding a furniture set that includes a crib, a dresser, and possibly a small table. Buying several pieces together, besides automatically matching, can also save you money. When you’re looking at sets, if you can’t find a matching changing table don’t worry. Most dresser’s can also easily double as a changing table if you put a changing pad on top. Just make sure the dresser is deep enough and stable enough to hold your child’s weight without any danger. And this will save on space. Of course, if space is not an issue you can add some fun kid’s furniture as well, such as a little table and chair set or a baby armchair. This will really make it obvious that this is a room for your new little person! Another option is to fill you extra space with a loveseat, which will give you a place to sit and hold your child if they are fussing.

Decorating and Adding Accessories

Once you’ve got the basics, it’s time to move on. Add some storage space with small containers, mounted shelves, and storage boxes. Then get stuffed animals, toys and wall paintings, or wall stick ons.

A small storage shelf is a great way to make sure you have everything you need nearby. Place it above or next to the changing table to store toys, teddy bears, and essential baby items like pacifiers, diaper-rash cream, diapers, etc. You can do the same with storage boxes.

Now that we’re done with the practical, let’s move onto the fun involved in decorating. First the walls. Add some themed murals such as a cloud and plane stick on, or a baseball mural. You can even add a colorful growth chart where you can track your new child as they grow up. Next it’s time to make the room a fun place for children with the addition of teddy bears and other stuffed animals. Plush toys are a great way to make a child’s room their own. Place a few teddy bears on the dresser, or on the windowsill. Plush dogs would also be great, because what little boy doesn’t want a dog? Then, you can add another toy that matches your room’s theme. For example, get a plush rocking horse for that cowboy theme, or a star mobile to place above the bed for a space them, or little toy cars for an automobile theme.

So as you can see, with just a little bit of creativity you can easily create a fun nursery for your new baby boy. The possibilities are endless!

There are many great reasons for creating a gender-neutral nursery for your new baby. Whether it is because you're waiting to find out your baby's gender, you want a theme that can suit whatever other children come along, you're having twins, or if you're just not into the "baby boy" or "baby girl" themes, here are some great ways to create fun nurseries that work perfectly for a boy, or a girl.

Stripes

Striped nurseries are very modern and can be suited with a great selection of colors to welcome a little boy or a little girl. Some great color themes include turquoise, brown and white; white, red, and taupe, or yellow, grey, and white.

Jungle

A jungle themed nursery is very fun to create. Think rainforest! Bright colors, trees, and exotic animals like toucans, monkeys, and tigers. Whether you buy pictures for the walls, or paint the animals directly onto the walls, it is sure to be quite the sight.

Black and White

Simple and stunning, black and white nurseries are very easy to create. Whether you use stripes, patchwork, or just a combination of black furniture and white furniture, your black and white nursery will be beautiful.

Teddy Bears

So classic, and traditional, a nursery filled with welcoming teddy bears is perfect for any baby. You can include teddy bear pictures, teddy bear blankets, and an array of bears that are small and large placed throughout the room.

Stars

Creating a star-themed nursery can be very versatile. Whether you choose to go for the modern-looking 3-D tin stars, classic yellow stars, or white stars, you can find star-shaped lighting, star-studded bedding, and great wall decorations to be sure your child will grow up...a star!

Patriotic

Whether you choose the true American red, white and blue, patriotic theme, or your native land's flag and colors, creating a patriotic-themed nursery allows your little one to grow up with a full sense of heritage and patriotism.

World

You could also do a slight variation of patriotic and go for a 'world traveler' theme, with décor such as maps, globes, and pictures of landmarks from throughout the world

Circles

Another fun variation of the classic stripes, circles are becoming a nursery hit. You may consider a circle crib, circle decorations, or colored circles painted on the wall, along with a bold circle area rug, this nursery variation is sure to be a hit.

Under the Sea

Another nursery that includes lots of bright colors! Create an underwater themed atmosphere in your nursery, and fill it with tropical fish, seaweed, starfish, and soothing ocean blue.

Artistic

Imagine a nursery complete with an easel, crayons, pallets, and great works of art. Whether it's modern bright-colored art, or Picassos and Monets, your artistic-themed nursery is sure to inspire an artistic little one.

Numbers

Inspire a little mathematician by creating a nursery full of numbers. Maybe include an abacus, numbers on the walls, and numbered bedding.

ABC's

A slight variation to the Numbers theme, an ABC theme is sure to inspire a new little writer. Complete with baby blocks, wooden letters painted on the walls, and famous literary works, you'll have lots of fun creating this nursery

Whatever theme you pick, your new baby's nursery is sure to be stunning and perfect for a little boy, a little girl, or twins for years to come!

Ready to spend a fun day together with your kids? Then hop to this great family activity that will keep you and your little ones busy and smiling. To create your own puppet show you need a short story, some plush animals and a bit of creativity. The props are easy to improvise once you have the right mindset. It only takes a bottle cap to create the porridge bowl that Goldilocks ate from. So, start imagining and create and amazing puppet show for you and your family.

Are you looking for something fun to do for your kids while their stuck inside because of bad weather? Many of us would prefer to keep them away from the television, but that means we have to keep them busy. Luckily, there’s a really fun idea: build a puppet show. Rather than just reading a story aloud, acting it out with puppets is a great way to create a fantastic memory for your children. And most importantly, you’ll get to spend more time with your kids! And once their older, they’ll be challenged to put on one of their own!

Goldilocks and the Three Bears Puppet Show

Luckily for us, creating a puppet show doesn’t have to be horribly complicated. In fact, you don’t actually need to go out and buy puppets. Most children already have stuffed animals and dolls, and they’ll be thrilled to see their favorite toy staring in a puppet theatre! Costume their toys with your own accessories, such as jewelry, hats, glasses, and anything else you can think of. Be inventive when it comes to other props by using plastic tableware, boxes, etc.

The Characters

Let’s say you want to re-create a favorite fairytale, such as “The Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Obviously, you’ll need a Papa Bear, a Mama Bear, and a Baby Bear. This is easy as long as you have three teddy bears of varying sizes. Then dress the bears up accordingly. Take the smallest bear and give him a little hat or tie a pacifier around his neck so that he’s obviously baby bear. As for the parents, give Mama Bear a necklace or little bow, and to Papa Bear add a pair of old glasses. Then you will need Goldilocks. She can easily be recreated with any blond doll, in fact a Barbie would work just fine.

Believe it or not, you don’t need the intricate strings of a professional puppeteer. Instead get a ruler, stick, or maybe even a pair of chopsticks, whichever you have on hand. These can then be taped to your puppet’s bodies so they are easy to maneuver. This can also make them more stable and less likely to flop around.

The Props

Next, it’s time to find the appropriate props. First you’ll need to represent the table of the three bears. You could use a small box, or even a piece of Tupperware. Then place little “bowls” on them. Use the wrappers from Ferrero Rocher or Reeses chocolates, as they have the right “bowl” shape. Or you could use the caps of a couple of water bottles. Then, to create chairs, use foam water glasses. Cut Mama Bear’s seat by an inch so that it’s smaller than Papa Bear’s “seat”, which you will leave alone, and then cut the cup for Baby Bears seat by 2 inches, so that it is the smallest seat of all. Foam is a particularly good material, because it’s easy to “break” the chair when Goldilocks sits down in it. The beds are just as easy to create. All you need are some napkins and tissue arranged on one side of the room, cut down into three descending sizes. And so there you go! You’ve got all the props you need to put on a great show, and it was easy!

So there you go. You’ve got everything you need: the puppets, the props, and a great classic story. Whether rain or shine, this is a truly fun way to entertain your children. As long as your child has toys around the house like stuffed animals, you can create anything!

Having a new baby on the way is always exciting, but it can also be a lot of work! Often you need to move to a larger space as you get a bigger apartment or a house. Then you have to prepare your home to be baby friendly and safe. Included in this is decorating the baby’s nursery! This can be a really fun thing to do, but the task may seem overwhelming. Luckily, this article will help you simplify the nursery decorating process. If you are expecting a baby girl, why not welcome your new princess in style with a princess themed nursery?

It may seem complicated, but this fun girly theme will be simplified by following the tips in this article. And you’ll be glad to know that this particular nursery theme allows for a lot of flexibility when it comes to furniture and decorating decisions.

Princess Furniture

When decorating a nursery, always start with the basics: furniture. Getting the right type of furniture is key. Classic or vintage furniture is more appropriate for the princess theme then modern. Now, your first basic item would be a nice crib. Next, it’s important to get a dresser or drawer chest, and a changing table. This is all furniture that will make your life easier, but if you have limited space you can opt for a combination dresser/changing table, or a crib that included an extension that can be used as a changing table. And if you do have the space, the ideal dresser for your little princess would be an elegant drawer chest with a hutch. Not only is this furniture fit for a princess, but it’s also practical as it creates much storage space.

Remember, keep things elegant by matching a crib to the other furniture for a more sophisticated look. You can also make your nursery ready for future fun by adding a child sized table and chair set. In fact, there are many princess themed tables that would be appropriate for the room and include a mirror and stool set. This can really add some critical touches to them room and make it look truly princess ready.

Princess Accessories

Now that you’ve got the basics, it’s time to accessorize the room. First, you’ll need bedding. Pink is a great choice, and you can usually find bedding that has a princess theme. To keep the room royal, get a matching bed skirt, and add a white or pink canopy above the bed to complete the look. Alternatively, if you don’t care for canopies, add a fairies mobile above the bed instead.

Now it’s time to add those important little touches by decorating the dresser, table, and chair. Stuffed animals and dolls are the best way to do this. Use cute teddy bears that are either pink, white, or classic colors to fill the shelves. Then get a princess doll to sit on the child sized chairs. Another fun touch would be to add a stuffed dog under or next to the table, because nothing says royal like a lapdog for your little princess!

Walls, Floor and Ceiling Decor

When you have the decorations and furniture figured out, it’s time to paint the room to match. Pink is a very appropriate choice for a princess, so choose a shade of pink for the walls. Keep the ceiling an ivory white color so that the room is not completely overwhelmed by the pink. These bright colors will give your room a fairytale look, and to take things further, you can even add a chandelier to bring in some magical fairy light at night. Then get a rug for a the floor that has a castle or tiara theme. Light blue or pink again would be a great choice for the rug. Then accessorize the walls with paintings or pictures of castles, or even a picture of a Disney princess to hang beside the bed!

So there you go! You can achieve a truly royal (and fun) look with some themed bedding, children’s furniture, and stuffed animals. Follow these simple steps and before you know it you’ll have the perfect castle sanctuary for your little princess!