Reader Redesign: Mobile Magic
When Isabel and Thomas sent over some photos of their DIY mobile project (which was reminiscent of the one that we featured in this nursery makeover of yore) we had to share the eye candy. Here’s their letter:
You’ve inspired yet another project, and since you’ve recently completed your nursery I thought this was timely. I learned how to make folded Moravian Stars from a tutorial online (in three different sizes, all in a variety of patterns I printed myself). I used this site and this site for reference, although the former is better. My husband invented the actual “hangers” for the mobile. He’s amazing! So with nothing more than paper, scissors, Mod Podge, a sponge brush, needle nose pliers, wire cutters, floral wire, a needle, and fishing wire… we ended up with this mobile! And the grand total was less than $10. Plus my husband and I had a great time making it for our son. Enjoy! -Isabel and Thomas
Isn’t that a fun way to add some personalized interest to any nursery? We love that by making their own mobile, Isabel and Thomas were able to dictate everything from the color scheme to the size and the shape of their creation- and the fact that it was less than ten dollars to whip up is truly amazing. Thanks so much for the photos guys! And for including the links that you used so others can follow along at home. What do you guys think? Is anyone out there planning to make one of their own? If so, what color scheme will you be going with? Gray and yellow? Navy and turquoise? Orange and eggplant? Pink and lime?
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That is beautiful! And I love that each piece was touched personally by the hands of his parents. Very sweet!
Not related to this post, but you were just blogged about here: http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/2010/05/jewelry-storage-thinking-outside-box.html :)
Thanks for the heads up Linda! Off to check it out…
xo,
s
I love this. My husband and I are having a baby in December (shh, we still haven’t told) and I am already thinking of ways to decorate the nursery and one of the main things I want to do is make a mobile. We won’t be finding out what we’re having, so the room will be gender neutral, and this is an awesome way to make a neutral mobile.
Do you have any other mobile ideas, I would love any and all of them. :)
Hey Rachel,
Here’s the mobile we DIYed for our baby girl on the way: http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/03/nursery-progress-makin-a-mobile/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thanks Sherry. I have loved your mobile. I keep trying to think of ways to make it gender neutral, since I’m not sure flowers would be super boyish, if we had a boy. Any suggestions as to what we could substitute for flowers?
Hey Rachel,
Dragonflies could be cute, or you could do a leaves and acorn theme. Or something fun like planets or fish.
The possibilities are endless! Just poke around the store to see what you come up with…
xo,
s
Wow! Those stars are super impressive. Good job!
Thanks again… Looks like I might be strolling the isles of a craft store one of these days. I am almost thinking of snowflakes, since we are having a winter baby and the room is going to be done in whites and mint greens (that’s the plan), plus it could be fun to play with. Who knows, but thanks for your awesome ideas. :)
Ooh snowflakes would be adorable! Send us pics!
xo,
s
Thanks for the link for the moravian stars! I made one in fifth grade art class once and have been trying to find a tutorial to make some more (for Christmas ornaments! :)
Sooo beautiful! I think cranes would be gorgeous too. Love your blog!!!
I love mobiles in my high school classroom. The two I’ve already made used mobile kits I purchased at a teacher supply store.
I can’t wait to make some that are totally my own.
SO COOL!
Laura
I love this! Those stars make cute Christmas tree ornaments too, and if done with nice paper, they can last for years. I still have some from my childhood, made by a dear family friend!
Wow, that is suuuuper cute! Love it!
I just ordered and received a photo-mobile from this site http://www.hangingmobilegallery.com/product/KKPHOTOCLIP-MH16/Photo-Clip-Mobile.html to make something similar for my son’s nursery. I’m not quite so handy with the floral wire, but I think it’s a similar look… :)
This idea is super cute. Do you know what they used for the hangers?
Hey Amy,
We don’t know all the hanger-making deets, but here’s hoping they drop in with that info soon. Stay tuned…
xo,
s
Fun!!!! I need a baby to make all these cool things for!
Hi, we used floral wire for the hangers. With needle nosed pliers and a pen to loop it around, Thomas shaped and then cut them to size.
Thanks for stopping in with that info Isabel! We’re so glad everyone’s loving your DIY mobiles as much as we are.
xo,
s
I think that just might be the coolest mobile I have ever seen. EVER.
So glad that you featured them!
Never mind the baby – I want one for my room!
Along a similar line, here’s the mobile I crafted to hang over my son’s changing table:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisamfb/4328554739/
Wow- so pretty! But, after clicking on the how to page- so hard!
:)
I’ll leave the crafting up to them, what a cool project though.
Ooh, I love this! And the color scheme is fab!
I’ve been trying to purchase one of your design consultations, but so far haven’t been lucky. I’m trying to design a nursery for our boy/girl twins who are due in September, and it’s hard! I don’t want anything totally gender neutral (I’d like to incorporate some blues and pinks) but I also can’t do anything that’s too girly or too boyish.
Wondering if y’all had come across any ideas or links that I could use for inspiration…until I hopefully get my own consult. ;)
Hey Stacy,
Thanks for your interest in our mood boards! We’re so sorry that we can’t take on more to help you out, but we’re hoping that you’re able to snag one soon. In the meantime, some sites that we love for nursery inspiration are:
http://tinydecorblog.com/blog/
http://www.spearmintbaby.com/
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Isabel… your mobile is gorgeous. The papers that you’ve chosen are terrific. So many color combos/so many paper choices. I love the creativity!
Thanks for the constant inspiration, John and Sherry!
These are great and such a wonderful idea. I have a friend who is having a baby in a few months and I wanted to make something or have something made and I think this just jumped to the top of the list! So great!
Love this! Thanks for sharing. My husband and I are in the process of adopting and we are planning on doing a gender neutral nursery. I’m looking forward to making this mobile for over the changing table!
I love this! So much fun.
Kelly
AWESOME!!! Great job!!!
Nice mobile! I made these stars to use in my Christmas decoration last year. They are not hard. Try it!
This reminds me of when our oldest was a baby. We were living quite sparsely out of the country, so I made some colorful paper birds and bent a hanger into a circle and hung the birds from it at various heights. Then we’d blow a fan on the bird-mobile to make it slowly spin, and our daughter would sit under it in a stroller and just watch and watch those birdies go round and round! I kind of miss those simple days. Life is so much more complicated now, and our 3rd daughter is due in about two weeks!
That colorful paper bird mobile sounds so sweet!
xo,
s
Absolutely wonderful and beautiful! Lucky baby! :)
What a cute and chic mobile! You have some very talented readers :)
I know this is only vaguely related to this specific post, but I remember that you two said that you used Mythic no/low VOC paint for your beanette’s nursery, and that it was a favorite. I was shopping for nursery paint today and found Olympic, but I was just getting color cards today. I forgot to check the price. Either way, I was just wondering why Mythic is a favorite? Is it better than Olympic’s no-VOC option in any ways?
Thank you!
Yup, Mythic is the cream of the eco paint crop. It’s definitely more pricey, but the formulas are much more pure than Olympic no-voc paint. We actually learned that the Olympic no-voc stuff is not actually no-voc after the colorant is added. So the base paint starts out without vocs but when they tint the base paint for you at the color desk it becomes low-voc or even standard (not low or no-voc at all). Meanwhile Mythic is always no-voc and also is non toxic and has amazing coverage. That being said, we’ve used and liked Olympic no-voc paint, it’s just a bit less pure and a bit lower quality when it comes to coverage (but also less expensive). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I loved the mobile you made for baby P and I love these as well. I wish I was having a baby or knew someone who was so I could make these!
I’ve made these stars for years and hang them on my Christmas tree!
Love the mobile … and the foxes print. Where is it from?
A mobile after my own heart!!! Beautiful design!!! I have been making Moravian star mobiles for about 11 years. Check out my etsy site theStarcraft.etsy.com for more ideas on how to make your own :) Love your blog!!! XOXO ~frances
Was hoping to contact Isabel to ask her some more questions about that super gorgeous mobile! If by chance she sees this, or if you’re able to pass this message along, tell her she can email me at wherehopegrows at gmail dot com!
Thanks so much!
i would love to do a giveaway in young house love of one of my mobiles! please contact me at francesmartin78 at gmail dot com if interested. thanks!!!! :D
Sweet Frances! We’ll be in touch!
-John
I love your mobile! I had this idea to do for our nursery and came across your page! I love it! What kind of paper did you use?
great! im ready when your ready! i can mail you a mobile if you contact me with your snail mail addy. thanks again!!
Sweet. We’ll shoot you an email to work out the details. We do ask that giveaway sponsors send the prize directly to the winner (wouldn’t want people wondering if we just keep all the prizes if they’re shipped our way!). Stand by for more info via email!
xo,
s
A homemade mobile is an amazing idea! They remind me of these paper stars my grandmother used to make using Christmas wrapping paper. Instead of making a mobile with them she would hang them on the tree as ornaments. I tried making them once before but they didn’t come out quite as nice.