Meet Princess Consuela Banana Book Hammock

Whenever I say/type the word "sling" I think of a speedo. Which makes me think of a banana hammock.  Which makes me think of this episode of Friends. 


Don't you love when you buy a baby product, use it for several years, with multiple children, only to have it recalled for minor issues, you know, like death?  Yeah.  me, too.  I was upset when they did a mass recall of drop-sided cribs.  (Not only had I been using it for 5 years, I used it for 3 children!)

Before we found out we were pregnant with Eliza, we debated on whether or not to buy a new crib, or just move Isaac to a toddler bed.  He was 10 months at the time.  (It would've been a rough go to move him to a big bed.)  Since we knew we wanted at least one more baby, we went ahead and got a new crib.

The crib, however, still has some emotional value.  I mean, it provided habitat space for 3 of my babies.  When they WERE babies.  One railing had teeth impressions from A when he was a baby.  I can still hear the sound of O twisting one of the looser spindles when she was bored/waking up/falling asleep.    All 3 kids peeked out, peered over, when they first learned to pull up. 

I digress.  So, I've been searching and searching for crafty things to do with it.  I wanted it to be semi-functional, but not like laundry room functional.  More like, it does a job, but still looks pretty and can be a conversation piece. 

I scoured Pinterest and found an idea I liked.  But, the person's link/blog gave no real instructions or measurements.  Plus, I didn't have the same kind of crib. Ours had decorative spindles.  Crap. 

I'm not good with power tools (yet!) and E isn't the move envisioned ("really?  That's what you're going to do?  Won't it look cheesy?")  I enlisted my dad's help when they came down to visit in July.  He's kind of awesome with that stuff, so he went along with my craziness and helped me saw/glue/screw it all together. 

Then came the big job.  Filling the holes and sanding the entire thing. 

My little sanding helper

Then I threw two coats of white paint.  The color was, of course, *just* different enough to notice, thus requiring the 2nd coat. Then I sanded some of the edges to give it a distressed look.  (I did this for two reasons. 1.  I'm lazy.  I can hide my imperfections this way. and 2. I did the same deal to the side table in that room, so it "fits".)

The sewing was not complicated.  Basic rectangles with a top stitch and some snaps.  (The one I got the idea from had the snaps going the other way.  I liked it this way better.)  The most complicated that step was the prongy side of the snaps getting bent.  I know.  Tough stuff.

Finished!

In her room, with more age-appropriate books.

The reading/nursing corner. I love the way it looks against the blue wall, that matches the quilt, with the fabrics from Eliza's room as the slings.  

Ta-da! 

It even earned a compliment from my husband.  Which is big, people. Big.