Young House Love

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How To Make A Nursery Mobile

Wanna see a pregnant lady in a crib? Boom, there it is.

Mobile1

Yes, this is a story all about how my life got twist turned upside down I made our little man a mobile. It’s kinda rustic (it’s made from a manzanita branch) and kinda modern (there are fun circles in a bunch of colors and sizes that hang down at different lengths) and most of all it makes me smile. Is it weird that hanging this actually made me feel more ready to have the little guy in my arms? Like “OK, the mobile’s up – now the baby party can start.”

Mobile11

Much like the mobile I made for Clara’s room (that one was comprised of little floral orbs made from wire, faux flowers, and glue)…

Nursery Mobile Detail

… this one was pretty simple to put together. Clara even helped!

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First I dragged my decorative manzanita branch out of the storage room (what? everyone doesn’t have a decorative manzanita branch standing by? well, that needs to be remedied). It was sold by West Elm a few years ago, so it has been bleached and debarked and it’s nice and solid – so there’s no worry of anything flaking off like old bark and falling into the crib. I thought leaving it this raw color would be a nice counterpart to the colorful round disks I wanted to add. As for the dangly strands, I had two paper banners from Target that I picked up for $2.18 on clearance a few months ago without any earthly idea of what I’d eventually use them for.

Mobile3

Once the mobile idea popped into my head, well, they seemed perfect. Except of course they were colors/patterns that didn’t really fit into the nursery scheme thus far. But it wasn’t anything a little craft paint couldn’t solve. So I laid them out on a few old cereal boxes from our recycling bin and Clara had fun helping me paint them. They needed two coats to cover those patterns underneath, but it was pretty easy to get done – even with a wiggly three year old assistant. Mostly it was one of those we-both-hold-the-brush-so-we-don’t-get-paint-all-over-the-strings projects, but she has a lot of pride over the mobile she made for “her baby” and it was a fun thing to do with her.

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While those freshly painted circles were drying, I realized they probably wouldn’t be enough to fill out the entire branch (even if I snipped them into smaller 25″ strands). So I broke out some white embroidery floss and decorative paper. Using a few round items around the house I traced multiple versions of three similarly sized circles to the ones in the pre-made banners onto craft paper in similar colors to the paint I used. For the smallest circles I used the base of the craft paint that was still out on the table, the middle ones were from tracing the bottom of another slightly larger bottle I had, and the biggest circles were from the base of a small cup. Then I just cut them out, making sure I had an even number of each.

Mobile5

The even number was important since I used them to sandwich my white embroidery string with some Aleen’s Tacky Glue. Just pressing them together over the string after dabbing them with some glue dots seemed to do the trick, and I spaced them by eye, using the spacing of the Target banners as my guide (those were around two inches apart).

Mobile6

I made each strand around 25″ long, just like the pre-made banners that I had snipped apart to make sections of that length. When everything was dry, it was time to tie them firmly onto the branch at different increments for a nice dangly effect. I hung the branch over the back of two chairs so there was room for my strands to dangle while I tied them on, and I just randomly spaced them so they were all slightly different widths from each other.

Mobile7

At this point Clara was over the project and happily putting stickers on the window nearby (that’s a really nice look from the curb, by the way), but Burger did mosey on over for a peek as I went.

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On the topic of hanging things over a crib, we’re definitely paranoid with a side of neurotic. For example, in Clara’s nursery we hung a mirror over her crib, but we actually drilled directly through the frame in multiple places to secure that thing to the wall so tightly that even John couldn’t yank it off the wall – even though it was out of Clara’s actual reach.

So although this mobile weighs a fraction of a pound, we relied on three heavy duty brass plated plant hooks (they each support 10+ lbs and have extra long screws so we could be sure they were either hitting a ceiling beam – two of them did – or a heavy duty anchor that we added) along with extra strong fishing wire that’s almost invisible, so it looks like it’s floating. We just knotted the fishing wire to the branch in three spots that needed some support (both ends and the triangular middle branch area) and connected them to the plant hooks that we secured to the ceiling, directly above those points. And that’s how this pregnant lady found herself chilling in a crib.

Mobile1

I really loved this way of hanging it since it’ll always be out of baby’s reach (this method makes it really easy raise if we ever think it’s within grabbing distance – although once the baby is more mobile we’ll drop the mattress so it’ll be even further away).

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It’s amazing how much sweeter the crib feels now. Like it’s saying “bring on the baby!”

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Once we got it hanging there was a split second where I wished it was a little bigger, just to fill up that wall more, but it’s almost three feet wide and around 16″ deep and 25″ long, so if it was any bigger the function of it might hinder us since it’s a real-life 3-D object that’s hanging there (we feared we’d hit our heads on it every time we leaned into the crib if it were much bigger). So after staring at it for a while I’ve come to peace with its size.

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John actually ordered two samples of Spoonflower wallpaper that he thinks could be fun to further fill out that wall between the built-ins (a complete surprise to me!) so maybe we’ll end up layering in some sort of interesting color or backdrop behind the mobile. It takes 12 business days to arrive, so I can’t wait to get it. Might be a total “nope that would look crazy” moment, or something that we’re both enamored with, so we’ll keep you posted. We’ve also talked about some sort of accent color with paint, just between those two built-ins, so we’re definitely open to seeing where this thing goes.

Either way, it’s pretty cool to see a room that used to look like this…

Nursery Before

… looking more like this these days.

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As for what’s left on the list in here, there are just a few outstanding items.

  • possibly tweak the wall behind the crib with wallpaper or some sort of accent color
  • add an overhead light on a dimmer (nothing’s there at all right now)
  • redo the closet for little clothes (paint it, add a second hanging bar or some cubby storage, etc)
  • finishing touches (some other small art/accessories, etc)
  • just add baby

It’s nice to be in the home stretch! Both for this pregnancy (I’m still having morning sickness at 33 weeks) and for the room. Most of all we’re just excited to meet the little guy who’s doing the macarena in my tummy right now. I think he’s a very good dancer.

Oh and since a few readers have passed along an awesome tip about making sure to look at a mobile from below to check that it’s interesting from that point of view, here’s what the bun will see when he glances up. Little spinning slices of color and a nice branchy background. Although I don’t think his eyes will focus that high up for a little while…

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I contemplated adding something facing him to the bottom of each strand (ex: a small animal-shaped piece of paper that would look flat from the side, but read easily from his in-the-crib perspective) but since his bedding has elephants marching all over it, I wondered if it might be more soothing to just see some dancing disks. We’re definitely open to evolving this little creation as he grows though. So if he’s really into some sort of creature (remember how much Clara got into worms and dragons?) I can work those in later. Just don’t want to stimulate him too much since it’s a spot for sleep.

And just because it might be more fun to see a grown man lying in a crib than a pregnant lady standing in one, there’s this:

Mobile1

Is anyone else making mobiles? Or putting the last few touches on a different room that you’ve been working on? What about hanging out in cribs? I’m telling you, it’s kind of a good time.

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Comments

  1. Nassim says

    The room is awesome, you have done a hell of a job with such simple elements.

    I wish I owned the house and could do this ( well not that I know how to mix colors but anyway :P ) to my little one’s room.

    I love the mobile from all angles. but it comes to me that it does not look as playful from right behind where the baby would be seeing it? or is it just a not very showing picture?

    Love your work xx

    Nassim

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      You’re so sweet Nassim! I wish I could catch a video of it since the disks sort of gently dance and you catch slivers of colors from underneath. We’re definitely open to adding something at the bottom that faces the baby as he grows though (for example, if he’s really into bears we could make little bears for the bottom of each strand).

      xo
      s

  2. Rachael says

    This is my all time favourite room so far! You guys are brilliant at creating nurseries that are cute but also appealing to adults. Enjoy it now before they have a voice about what they like in their rooms. Yes, I’m looking at you, ugly Lego duvet cover!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, you’re so sweet Rachael! Clara has been getting increasingly involved with her room (pink ceiling, asking for a canopy, choosing the raindrop colors on the wall and asking for a dark pin closet door) so it should be interesting to see where we end up as she (and the bun) get bigger!

      xo
      s

  3. Cara says

    So, I know this is going to sound crazy busy, but I immediately pictured large pastel polka dots on the wall behind the mobile. Really light, but in the same blues and greens.

    Reply

  4. Sara Wutzke says

    I love it! You guys have the ‘perfectly filled, yet uncrowded’ thing down! I think I have it, and then I take a picture and it’s ALWAYS just a smidge either way. I love the mobile. (and I would break the crib if I stood in it, pregnant or not ;)

    Reply

  5. Natalie says

    I just love the room now. What a difference huh. If only the nursery stayed as neat an tidy as it looks before the baby comes. Soon enough there will be wraps and soiled clothes and that delightful smell of baby poo and vomit in the air.
    You are looking great too. Sorry you are still sick though.
    Cheers,
    Nat
    xx

    Reply

  7. Kelsey says

    I love it! I love how one item can change the direction of a room (like the Target boxes you purchased). The mobile really ties everything together!

    Reply

  8. Laura says

    This is my favorite room you guys have done. Simply gorgeous! The mobile really pulls it all together. Best of luck with the final months…. :)

    Reply

  9. Jess says

    Hi.

    I am in love with this room. I am sure countless other people have said so as well. But I just thought that throwing a little extra love and kindness out is definitely always the way to go.

    Xo!

    Reply

  10. Brandi from Bloomington says

    Wow! I love the way the room is coming together. The mobile is so cute it makes me want to have another baby. PSYCH!

    Reply

  11. Brigitte says

    I love the mobile and want to make one myself but I can’t find the manzanita branch on west elm anymore. Do you know where else I can find it?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I would try searching “manzanita branch” on ebay or amazon to start. Maybe also just googling it will turn up some sort of company that sells them. Good luck Brigitte!

      xo
      s

  12. Bailey says

    I’m sure this has been suggested, but what if you took the same wall paint you used and get it in another finish, or even just add white to lighten it up a bit and do a big stencil pattern (manly hexagons?) between the built ins? That way it’s subtle, but still adds interest?

    Reply

  13. Julianne says

    Looks amazing! I love the fresh colour mix and how you’ve put everything together. So nice!! Bring on the Barnacle!! :O)

    Reply

  15. Amanda Sheren says

    My friend made me a monster mobile for my son’s nursery (right before monsters became super popular and available everywhere!). I love it :) Yours looks super cool and even neat from your future son’s point of view, way to go!

    Reply

  16. Janice says

    I love this room! You guys always do an amazing job! Also, don’t feel too bad about being 33 weeks and still having morning sickness. It was like that with my daughter and I had the world’s easiest delivery so perhaps you’re saving up karma for that? With this pregnancy (I’m 16 weeks today!) I’ve been almost as miserable but less actual puking (luckily) I think I’m just less stressed. We actually planned it and prepared for it this time! My only suggestion is well grit your teeth and get through it! I didn’t find anything that helped even the tiniest bit!

    Reply

  17. Susan says

    I can’t believe how quickly everything came together! It looks like such a fun, cheerful room.

    I love the mobile! I made a simple one that had different colored hearts cut from ultra suede samples and hung from an embroidery hoop. I loved it, but thought the baby would never really be interested in it. It was hung pretty high and really, I didn’t even consider what it looked like from the laying down angle.

    I was wrong though! She noticed it spinning one day from when I walked by, so I blew on it and she smiled and giggled. It became somewhat of a ritual to gently blow on it before I left the room for naps. She likes to hold her hand out and try to touch it now when I pick her up.

    All this to say, I’m sure he’s going to LOVE that mobile.

    Reply

  18. Paula M. says

    Cute! And the extra-adorable thing about this post is that, in the last picture, of John lying in the crib photographing the mobile from beneath, the little stuffed monkey toy in the corner seems to be looking up at the mobile! :)

    Reply

  20. Melanie says

    Sherry… you’re giving me a heart attack! My sister has that crib and its weight limit is 50 pounds. You’re a slender lady, but there is absolutely no way that you weigh only 50 pounds ;)

    I know that you’re obviously safely out of the crib now :) But it’s not just your safety – it’s the safety of the crib. Those wire connectors might be a little too stretched now from holding your weight. (And, I saw in the comments that John used to regularly get in there with Clara.) I know you love your children (Barnacle and Burger included!) and would be completely devastated if the crib broke while your newborn son was in it. Please consider 1) checking the crib wiring carefully to make sure it’s all still nice and tight and 2) not getting in there anymore with your children.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Melanie! We’ll double check those bolts and make sure they’re nice and tight and I don’t see any reason I’ll be back in that crib for the rest of my life. I’ll put a moratorium on daddy-snuggling in there too ;)

      xo
      s

  21. Erin says

    Really nice! I totally get what you mean about hanging the mobile making you feel more ready. I put the sheets on our bassinet yesterday (our own little guy is due to arrive any day now) and now I really feel like everything is “in place”.

    Loving watching the progress on the nursery. & you look great!

    Reply

  22. Tami B. says

    Hey Mama! I think the mobile looks great and so do you. The room looks fantastic and I love the color scheme, fresh and soothing. Although, I would have to agree with another reader who said she wanted to scoop you outta that crib and hang the mobile for you!

    Reply

  23. Sandra T says

    I’m sure others have said this, and I hope you will listen! Please take care of yourself! Standing or lying in a crib meant for the weight of a baby and mattress (I think generally the max is 50 to 75 pounds) is risky at best! Plus, you guys added the weight of 3 solid 2 by 4’s. I really
    cringed to see you up there. It’s not worth it if something happened to you and that precious baby. Next time, please leave the hanging to your tall husband and the ladder. Just my two cents.

    Reply

  24. stacey says

    The room looks fantastic! Really nice job with all the details and blending of colors. Man in the crib gave me a good laugh, definitely one sturdy crib!!

    Reply

  25. Amanda @ All Day Active says

    Your nursery is gorgeous!! (Probably shouldn’t use the word gorgeous for a baby boy’s nursery though….) It is coming along wonderfully! Love that mobile too — and I love how it is so similar to Clara’s. When I saw the pic of Sherry in the crib I had to laugh….my sister in law did the same thing and broke the crib….oops :)

    Reply

  26. Brittany says

    LOVE THIS! I’m totally planning on making a mobile with a branch for my little guy that’s due in early June. So excited you guys did this so I could have some more ideas!

    Reply

  28. Ashley says

    Do you know what would be really cool?? A side-by-side comparison of Clara’s nursery versus the new nursery–Barnacle vs. Bean, if you will.

    Just an idea. :)

    Reply

  30. Lindsay says

    We’re putting together our baby’s nursery too! I’m in the process of making hot air balloons to hang above the crib as a mobile. I was thinking about how to safely hang it, so I will definitely check out the plant hooks.

    Reply

  31. Laci says

    I’m SO excited for you guys!! Thanks for letting us all watch/share as ya’lls excitement grows with each new element that’s added to the room (along with the growing baby bump)!!

    Reply

  34. vvachula says

    I was thinking, “Oh, I wish they showed a picture of how they took the picture of the mobile from below” and BAM, there it was. Way to anticipate my every whim.

    Reply

  36. Jaime says

    I don’t care if you guys want to stand in your crib, I am not a super-safety crazy person when it comes to stuff like that, but PLEASE stop stating that adding some wood slats over the spring support is just like a bed specifically constructed as a wood slat bed frame. They are NOT the same. In fact, you might have made the bed LESS SAFE by adding wood if the weight of the wood, combined with the weight of the mattress and baby goes over the weight limit stated in the manual. The weight of all of those things combined is only being supported by the screws in the four corners and by adding the boards, you put more stress on those supports. (I have the BabyMod Olivia so I will admit I am making the assumption here that they have the same mattress support set up) True wood slat bed frames have supports along the entire length of the bed, not just in the four corners. Also, I did a quick search and BabyMod (among other manufacturers) recommend a FIFTY POUND WEIGHT LIMIT on all cribs….I know Sherry talks about how tiny she is but I am guessing she is over 50 lbs…

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      You’re right Jaime, in my head a metal frame + wood slats + mattress = similar construction to a bed with the same elements, but you’re right that it’s not the same. Just knowing that John – who’s much heavier than I am, even while pregnant – has climbed into the crib a bunch of times to jokingly snuggle Clara made us both feel like it was secure, and thankfully it didn’t collapse or anything (we even checked the bolts and nothing is loose). But I’ll never climb into that crib again – and I’ll put a moratorium on John snuggles in there as well :)

      xo
      s

  38. Christy Niebaum says

    Love the idea of some fun wallpaper in between the built ins. Excited to see that space evolve.

    For my daughter’s mobile, I made origami cranes with fun colored/patterned paper and hung them from an embroidery hoop with fishing line. Super easy, light weight and interesting to look at from any angle. My cousin also crafted her a mobile using a process called felting. I’m not super familiar with it, but she felted some balls in various colors/sizes and a letter “N” for Natalie. She also made some small stuffed and embroidered owls to incorporate. It’s pretty presh. The cranes hang above the crib and the owls hang above the changing table.

    Reply

  40. Ruth says

    This is a cute idea, really fits in with your room and of course it’s unique! I made a mobile recently for my daughters new nursery and used a similar idea of sandwiching coordinating fabrics that I cut into heart shapes and hung on ribbons. I hung these from a large embroidary hoop that I painted to match the room and it ties in nicely with the colour scheme, fabrics used throughout and the heart stencilling I did on the wall behind the cot. It’s simple but I like it and hopefully makes nappy changes a bit more interesting for my wee one.

    Reply

  41. Karen says

    My husband & I are almost done with our daughters mobile. I bought several pages of scrapbook paper & made some 3D oragami stars. We just need to fasten them to the dowel rods & hang! Love yours-love the green!

    Reply

  43. Mandy says

    I love, love, LOVE the way the nursery is turning out! It almost makes me want to get pregnant so I can decorate another nursery! Although, I will secretly be hoping for a girl next time ;)

    On a side note, I know you cloth diaper but I think I remember reading somewhere that you will be using disposables at first when the little guy is too tiny for cloth. I’m sure someone has suggested this already but have you considered The Honest Co. diapers? We use them for our little dude and they are amazing! We love that they are plant based, no chemicals and biodegradable. Plus, they just came out with their spring patterns and they have a.. Wait for it… Bicycle pattern ;)

    https://www.honest.com/baby/honest-diapers

    Reply

  44. Meghan says

    My best friend made our little girl’s mobile (one of those stuffed bird/embroidery hoop jobs). The day I got it, I insisted my husband hang it up. It was the last step in the nursery. I went into labor early the next morning. I am convinced the baby was waiting for her mobile!

    Reply

  45. Ge says

    Hey Sherry!

    Just in case, I thought you might be interested by my cousin’ story: she is also 33 weeks pregnant and also still had morning (all-day) sickness. She tried to see an acupuncturist last week: first time, nothing happened, second time, boom! Magic! No more sickness at all!!

    I normally am not really into that kind of things, but witnessing her coming back to her normal self was tremendous enough not to share :)

    Hope it’s get better soon!

    Reply

  47. Kelli says

    I think an ombre painted accent wall could look really awesome behind the crib. If you start w/ the dark at the bottom, it should be light enough by the time you get to the mobile height that it will still stand out.

    Reply

  48. heyruthie says

    One of the things that I appreciate about you guys is that you’re not Target “streamer” things are a great example. I have some bizarre sense of guilt about altering something like that “because it’s already pretty, and there must be some way to use it like it is without ruining it.” I have NO idea why I feel that way, but I have a basement with tons of unused “really nice” stuff like that, that I’ve been scared to change to make it work for me in my home. I’m going to start taking more leaps of faith–starting with using what I already have. Thanks for the inspiration. And if I ruin something? So what, it’s better to try and fail than to let it gather dust in my basement. At least, that’s what I’m going to tell myself!

    Reply

    • heyruthie says

      Sorry–I must have somehow deleted part of my response. I tried to say “One of the things that I appreciate about you guys is that you’re not….afraid to alter or change things to make them work for you. The Target “streamer” things are a great example….”

  49. SM says

    I love your mobile and was excited to see someone else using a manzanita branch. I created a bird mobile for my daughter (see here http://bit.ly/1csiWve) with a manzanita branch as well. Before our daughter was born I was a little concerned by the fact that I had hung such a sharp and pointy object over the crib (we have ours hanging from clear thread)…of course when she came Daddy decided to add “guard line” of twine in case the thread snapped. Daddy has turned protective already! I’m curious as to what material you used to hang your branch from the ceiling.

    Reply

  50. Jill says

    I’ve followed your blog for a few years now and bought the book. I’m a big fan! I have to tell you that this nursery is breathtaking. You have done an incredible job with this room. I wish you lived in CT and could help me decorate my house!

    Best wishes…

    Jill

    Reply

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