Carousel Designs Blog

You’re pregnant.

Congratulations!  This is a very exciting time…chock full of dreaming, planning, and a few anxious moments thrown in for good measure (in case you hadn’t figured it out, worrying is a huge part of becoming a parent).

Welcoming a new baby is also a perfect time (some may call it a perfect excuse) to decorate!  Seeing the nursery you’ve always dreamed of come to life was, for me, one of the best parts of being pregnant.  And picking your baby’s crib bedding has got to be the cherry on top!

That thrill starts to subside when you realize how many baby bedding companies are out there.  It can be overwhelming.  But even with all of the selection, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from expectant moms that they just can’t find the perfect baby bedding.

They know what they want, but they just can’t find it.

It reminds me of the time I shopped for my wedding dress.  After trying on what seemed like a million dresses (and yes, even the ones on the pages I ripped from my stack of bridal magazines), I just couldn’t find “the one”.

I knew what I wanted, but there was just something not right about every gown I tried.  If only I could design my own.  But alas, I wasn’t the daughter of an ex-president or Hollywood royalty.

That’s where Carousel Designs shines.

We’re committed to making sure that every expectant mom out there gets exactly what she wants.  After all, you deserve it.  And we can do it.

• So whether you choose from one of our 100+ designer crib bedding collections, or you find one you like a lot, but just want to make a few changes…we can do it.
• Or, maybe you’ve fallen in love with one of our 300+ fabrics or have an heirloom quilt or piece of artwork that you want to design your baby’s bedding around…we can do it.
• Or, if you fancy yourself a designing diva, you can just start designing custom baby bedding from scratch…and we’ll make it.

So when you’ve exhausted your search and come up empty-handed, come visit us.  Our blissfully easy-to-use Custom Nursery Design Tool will allow you to make your dream nursery a reality.

And if you have any questions along the way, our super helpful customer service gals are there to lend a hand or answer any questions you may have.

Because at Carousel Designs…Mom always gets what Mom wants.  That’s a promise!

Years ago, I remember someone telling me that babies were cheap.  As in, “You might as well have a slew, ‘cause babies don’t cost nothin’.”

Well, I don’t know what they were talking about (or why on earth I was listening to someone who talks like that) because having a baby is an expensive venture!

There’s all the gear, furniture, and gotta-have paraphernalia, not to mention baby-proofing your house and decorating your nursery!  And the diapers…don’t forget the diapers!!

And if you fall prey to the notion that you’ve got to have the hottest stroller, the most expensive diaper bag, or the latest and greatest high chair…you’re in trouble.

But we can help! We’ve made it so incredibly easy to create a registry here at Carousel Designs and even easier to let all of your friends and family know exactly what you want in your babies crib!  It’s a great way to get a little help decorating your nursery from people who really want to help (think grandparents, aunts & uncles, your non-parent friends who have no idea what to get you).

We’ve made it blissfully fast for registrants to register…just enter your first and last name, an email address, pick a password and you’re in!

You’ll then decide whether you want your registry to be public, invitation-only or private.

• Public registries are searchable and viewable by anyone.
• Invitation-Only registries are not searchable and only viewable with a direct link which we’ll provide to you.
• Private registries are not searchable and only viewable by the registrant (a great way to create a wish list for yourself).

You’ll also enter an event date (i.e. when you expect the baby to make his/her first appearance) or as I like to put it, a deadline.

Anybody can set up a gift registry for an expectant parent and we have many that are managed by soon-to-be grandparents or even a friend.  And if you include the name of a co-registrant (i.e. baby daddy), gift buyers will be able to search for your registry by this name as well.

Though we require an address, it will not be shown to anyone…even gift buyers.  This address is the location where your registry gifts will be sent unless your gift buyers choose to send to alternate addresses (which they have the option to do).

And it’s super easy to share your registry information with friends and family.  With a simple click, you can share it:

1. On Facebook;
2. With a direct link we provide to you for emails, Twitter, or chats; or
3. With a snippet of code that you can embed into websites like a blog.

And then all you do is click the “Add to Registry” button just below “Add to Cart” when you’re browsing our crib bedding collections.

How much fun is that?

All that’s left for you to do is to sit back and wait for your baby’s bedding to roll in.

Or…start regrouting the tiles in your bathroom (a little nesting never hurt anyone).

I’ve always been fascinated by theories of birth order and how they can affect a child’s personality, so it was with great interest that I read this article over the weekend which cites a recent study out of Adelphia University that found that first-borns tend to be more intelligent, while younger siblings are more outgoing.

And that’s similar to the fairly accepted notion that first-borns tend to be over achievers (past studies that looked at U.S. presidents, Nobel Laureates or NASA astronauts found that they were overwhelmingly first-borns) and that the youngest are more carefree.  Other studies have found that middle children are independent and inventive (though there is that middle child syndrome but that’s a completely different post).

As the oldest of four children, I’d like to think that I’m the smartest, though I’m pretty sure that’s not true.  But I do find some of the arguments the study made quite interesting.

First, that first borns tend to score higher on intelligence measures because at some point, they were the only recipient of their parents’ attention.  I know for a fact that we read to our oldest child more than our youngest (probably because by the time our 2nd came around we were too tired).

But while our youngest may be intellectually crippled as a result, apparently he’ll be more open to new experiences because he’s witnessed challenges his older sibling has had to overcome, thus giving him more security in overcoming obstacles (so it’s not all gloom and doom).

Though none of this explains why this over-achiever is now working for her “carefree” baby brother so obviously there are other factors at play.  But it does shed some light on some things we may do as parents to unwittingly effect the outcome one way or the other.

So maybe instead of giving our oldest child more responsibility by default, we should try to beyond our comfort zone and dole out a little more to his baby brother (with a 4 year age difference that’s easier said than done).  And maybe I can try a little harder not to coddle my youngest (that’s even harder to do because, well, he is my baby).

Or maybe I can stop reading articles about birth order and do a much-needed load of laundry.  Hmmm…

Deciding which colors to use when decorating your baby’s first room can be tough, especially given that some very interesting studies have shown a relation between psychology and color.

And while there is still much scientific debate about how color affects infants, there is endless evidence that color affects adults.  For instance, it’s no coincidence that most fast food restaurants are red and yellow – these colors can make you feel hungry (by increasing your metabolism).

Different colors affect each of us in various ways. However, there are some basic principles that seem to remain a constant for most everyone. While your baby may not perceive colors correctly for a while, they will when they get older, so it’s worth considering how color will affect your child as you pick things like crib bedding and wall color.

Below are brief descriptions of how each color family affects our moods and emotions and some considerations to take into account when using it in nursery décor.

Red is one of my favorite design accents but in a nursery, I’d use it in moderation (i.e. red walls paired with red bedding might be more reminiscent of The Shining than your sweet little baby).  Though it increases pulse rate and breathing and causes blood pressure to rise, infants and children respond well to red.  Try our classic crib bedding collection, Sock Monkey, to get your red fix.

Orange is a very comfortable, welcoming, and friendly color.  Use a darker orange for a super-cozy atmosphere or bright orange for a punch of modern!  And apparently, those who love orange are generally social and fun loving (two pretty nice qualities, if I may say so).  Check out our Brown Modern Zoo fabric for a great example of how to use orange as an accent color. Shades of rich browns, vibrant oranges and limes keep this fabric on the cutting edge of cool.

Ok, so you’ve heard that smart people love Yellow (maybe because it promotes concentration).  Well apparently so do idealists and people with sunny dispositions.  However, it’s been said that babies cry more often and longer in yellow rooms but that could be because their parents don’t know how to pick yellow and paint the walls the exact same color as scrambled eggs (yes, I’m drawing on personal experience here).  So if you love yellow, I’d recommend going with a nice subtle, buttery version in your baby’s nursery, like our gorgeous Yellow Nursery Rhyme Toile crib bedding.

Green is the best color to use in a learning environment as it promotes calmness of thinking and concentration.  It’s also very serene and natural.  It’s often been said that green is one of the best colors in decorating because it is so abundant in nature.  And for those of you trying to get pregnant, in Celtic myths, the Green man was the God of fertility (time to have the hubby paint your bedroom green?).  I love our Sage Damask crib bedding collection and its mix of greens and browns (and so does my nephew, Will!).

Blue is a wonderfully calming and cooling color (great for warmer climates) and if paired with white can be wonderfully reminiscent of the ocean.  In your nursery, use warm or bright blues but avoid overusing navy or darker shades.  Try our Spa & Gumball crib bedding collection for a fresh, contemporary combination of blue and brown that will turn your nursery into a veritable sanctuary!

Purple has long been associated with royalty, and that still holds today.  Pastel purples, like lavenders and lilacs are more calming and serene, but still have that luxurious feel.   However, apparently most men dislike purple.  So, if you’re dead set on purple, just be aware that your hubby may be hard-wired to resist.  He may break down when he sees his little girl in our Lilac Damask baby bedding, however.  It’s absolutely stunning!

Gray inspires contemplation and creativity, and though it’s often associated with sadness or loneliness, it’s trending as one of the most popular neutrals for home décor (see our previous post on this versatile color).  The best way to use it in your nursery is to pair it with warm tones or bright colors, like yellow or hot pink.  One of our newest collections, Gray Damask, uses buff-colored accents with gray and white to create a look to die for!

Pink is the universal color of all things girly.  But few know that pink can be very calming as well – particularly with children who are prone to throwing fits or tantrums (it’s often used in jail holding cells to calm prisoners…just sayin’) and is used to treat patients suffering from headache disorders.  We’ve got lots of great pink baby bedding options but one of our newest is Candy Pink Damask…it just so fresh and pretty!

Black is a natural classic but another color to use in moderation.  It’s strong and dark so make sure to use it in a room with big windows and lots of natural lighting.  Pair it with a bright color like yellow, hot pink or grass green to make a statement (like in this photo of our Black & White Dots & Stripes crib bedding – gorgeous!).  And though I had a friend who painted her dining room black and loved it…it’s hard to change your mind – black walls are close to impossible to repaint!

Brown is the color of earth and because it’s so abundant in nature, it’s a wonderful color to use as an accent in your nursery design.  And here’s a plus:  Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors and I haven’t met a woman yet who doesn’t associate brown with one of her favorite splurges – chocolate!  And while we have several wonderful crib bedding collections that weave in shades of brown, one of my favorites is Sage Chirp.

Ahhh…White!  It’s clean, pure, and innocent…just like your new little baby.  All white nurseries are timeless…add splashes of color for a little fun!  And of course, white is a super neutral and works well with any color, in any context.  You do need to be prepared to work a little harder to keep your whites, well, white.  But nobody ever said looking good was easy!  For a gorgeous, classic white nursery, click here.

I thought about naming this post, “The secret to picking the perfect Crib Bedding online (without pulling your hair out)”, but the title was too long and I’m a stickler for one-line blog post titles.  But, that would’ve been a fairly accurate assessment about how difficult it can be to choose the perfect baby bedding for your nursery, eh?

Ordering online can be a bit daunting regardless, but factor in the emotional nature of something like baby bedding and it can become even more challenging. Without being able to see and feel the fabrics, it’s tough to get a good sense of the bedding’s feel and quality.  And we all know how important your baby’s bedding is in the overall design of your nursery.  (It’s kind of like picking out your wedding dress…am I right?)

Fortunately, the zoom and pan features on babybedding.com will help alleviate some of those problems by allowing you to get a close-up view of even the smallest details of our crib bedding collections.

Even with the best of technology, though, colors of fabrics may differ from how you see them on your monitor. Until modern technology invents some way for you to feel the fabric through your computer screen, fabric swatches can be an online-orderer’s best friend.

At Carousel Designs, we want our customers to be over-the moon happy and satisfied with their purchase, because we know how important your baby’s first room is.  To ensure an exact match for your nursery, and satisfaction with fabric texture and quality, we recommend ordering swatches before placing your bedding order.  They’re only 50 cents each, and the cost of your swatches will be refunded to you when you place an order.  So it’s a win-win!

And while you’re shopping our crib bedding collections, don’t forget about our Design-Your-Own-Baby-Bedding interactive tool.  You can customize any of our collections by simply clicking “customize this collection” and adding your personal touch.  I’ve said before (but I’ll say it again), it’s baby couture!

And, as always, Customer Service is just a phone call away to help address any concerns or answer any questions.  If you’ve run into a challenging design issue or just can’t decide between toile and floral, give us a holler…we’d love to hear from you and get a real kick out of making our customers happy!

Talk to you soon!

Beige.

It doesn’t even sound that interesting.

Yet for years, beige has been the neutral tone of choice is many homes as well as the bane of my existence (anybody else out there think it’s near impossible to pick a shade of beige that’s not too green, or too blue, or too pink, or too yellow?).

But new color trends point to a resurgence of gray, both warm and cool, in today’s home interiors. We’ve seen this versatile color rise in popularity in both fabrics and paints, giving us something new and fresh to use as either a base color, or a focal point.

Gray is a quiet, calming color that can create a soothing interior…perfect for a baby’s nursery. When paired with other trendy color tones, gray can offer excitement and style. Use gray as a base color and pair it with brighter shades like yellow or pink, both of which are complemented by the neutrality of gray.

Black and whites are also excellent color choices and when used in home décor with gray, are sophisticated and chic. And of course, nothing evokes the sense of the ocean more than a home (or nursery) decorated in a combination of gray and white highlights.

Where to start?  Try our newest collection, Gray Damask (pictured above).  It’s fresh and modern yet soft and sweet.  We paired it with a neutral buff fabric to warm it up, but the possibilities are endless. Swap out the buff with a brighter color and personalize the collection so that it’s perfect for you and your baby.

And say, “sayonara” to beige.

Earlier this week, I was on my way to REI for a 30% off Keens sale for my boys when I turned the corner into the parking lot and was stopped dead in my tracks.

To my astonishment, a brand new HomeGoods stood right before me…taunting me….beckoning me inside.

I knew a HomeGoods was slated for this space but I had no idea it was up and running.  The timing was no coincidence (I told myself), so I decided to take a minor detour (not without some pushback from two boys wearing shoes with holes) and hoped that the money I’d earmarked for brand new Keens didn’t meet a tragic fate (for the Keens, not for me).

And I wasn’t disappointed.  HomeGoods is an amazing resource for, well, home goods and accessories.  The best part – their prices are so affordable it allows for seasonal updates to your home decor without breaking the bank.

And for those of you decorating a nursery, this store is a must see.  I hope you have one in your area.  If not, it’s worth making a special trip to visit one when you’re in a city that does.

Here are a few items I saw that would make excellent accessories to complete your baby’s nursery.

• The classic piggy bank.  They had these in all colors and for $7.99, you can set up your little one for financial success early!

• Oh, and this little jewelry box is exactly the thing that makes me yearn for a little girl.  And until she starts collected the bling, you can use it on her changing table to hide Q-tips, lotions and that ugly suck-out-the-buggies thing.

• But the boys can’t be outdone by the girls.  Check out this $25 adorable stool for the little guys.

• Did I say stools?  I almost freaked out when I saw these stools for only $14.99.  They had many more to choose from, including stools with tractors and airplanes.

• Inexpensive artwork is definitely one of HomeGoods strengths.  These canvases started at $9.99!

• Need to organize the nursery?  (Or any other room for that matter)  These colorful storage containers scream to be placed in a kid’s room.

• But make sure you venture out into their more “adult” home decor.  I found some great items that would be perfect for a nursery.  Like this old timey car.  So cute!

• And this sailboat!  I’m a big fan of the nautical theme for little boy nurseries.  And check out the price tag…$24.99!

• And who can resist this little red wagon.  Awww….

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• I definitely got hung up in the lighting department.  There were so many cute lamps.  I can totally see this one in an all white nursery.  So fresh!

So I guess our little detour wasn’t terrible for my barefoot boys.  They got their Keens…as well as this fat, furry, thing with a horn for a nose.

While researching a blog post a few weeks ago, I came across some old wives tales regarding how influence the gender of your baby. In other words, how to ensure you get that boy you’ve been trying so hard for (after having 5 girls) or vice versa. The funniest myth was that if you want to have a girl, you need to steal a soup ladle from a household that has all girls. If you’re dying to have a little boy, do the same thing, except from a household with lots of boys.

I’d never hear that before but it sounded promising so I immediately texted my sister-in-law (who has two boys and would like to have a baby girl) and sent her to her friend’s house (who has 3 girls) to “steal” her soup ladle. Here’s a picture of her doing just that!

I’ll let you know if her new life of crime works out for her!

But really, that old wives tale got me thinking…are there really any natural ways you can select the gender of your baby?

I remember reading somewhere about a process fertility doctors can perform to do so, but I wasn’t too interested in going that far (or spending that much money).

So I began to interview friends and family and then conducted a little research on the web. What I uncovered are some of the most commonly used methods for nudging the odds in your favor of having a boy, or girl.

The Shettles Method

This was by far the most commonly referred to method for gender selection, and though many don’t refer to it at the Shettles method, they are familiar with it’s key principle: it’s all about timing.

Dr. Shettles believed that correctly timing intercourse was the most important factor in conceiving a boy or girl. The key is to properly predict when you’re ovulating. Shettles theorized that the Y-chromosome-bearing sperm (male producing) is quicker than the X-chromosome-bearing sperm (female producing), but female producing sperm live longer.

The implication: the best time to conceive a boy is on the exact day you ovulate while the best time to conceive a girl is 3-4 days before you ovulate.  This is because girl sperm don’t mind hanging around waiting for the male producing sperm to peter out (so to speak) and the egg to slide down the hatch.

Dietary Factors

There are also theories based on the premise that altering your body’s pH through diet may influence the polarity of the egg (if it has one), or make the vaginal environment more or less hospitable to sperm.

Apparently, eating a big breakfast as well as at least 2000 calories a day will make you more likely to conceive a boy. By contrast, skipping breakfast and eating a light diet will make you more likely to conceive a girl.

And studies have shown that adding potassium and sodium to your diet makes you more likely to conceive a boy. You should eat bananas, strawberries, baked potato skins, and other foods high in sodium and potassium if you want a little Joe Jr. The trick to having a girl: Load up on magnesium and calcium. Think spinach, black beans, and other green vegetable and lots of milk.

O+12 Method

O+12 is a method used only for conceiving a girl. This method advises intercourse about 12 hours after ovulation (which somewhat contradicts the Shettles method that a boy will be conceived on the day of ovulation).

The rules are:

1. The father must not ejaculate for at least 7 days before intercourse (and preferably longer). The reason for this is that since female sperm supposedly live longer, an “old” batch of sperm should have more female than male sperm (about 2% more, according to some data).
2. Have intercourse once only, 8 to 20 hours after ovulation.
3. Do NOT have intercourse again (or use a condom) until you are sure you are no longer fertile.  That’s because the “fresh” batch of sperm will be more likely to have more male sperm.

Have any of you tried any of the above methods or swear by another? If so, please share!

Now if you’ll excuse me…I’ve got a ladle to steal.

I’ve just returned from the final fabric show of the season and I couldn’t be more excited. I can hardly wait for everyone to see all of my great finds! Even though the selection was not as large as in previous years, what they did have was “spot on”!

One of the most noticeable trends I saw was large scale prints. The bigger the better! While this can be a bit challenging when working with smaller items such as baby bedding, it can also bring the “wow” factor to the nursery.

Color trends ranged from earth tones with a focus on organics to vibrant reds. Slate seemed to be the neutral color of choice with softer shades of lime or mustard worked in.

And did I mention florals? Yes, lots of floral and geometric designs were noticeable everywhere.

Now the fun starts, turning these fabrics into some fabulous baby bedding to create your special nursery! Be sure and check our website over the next few weeks to see all the new collections.

~Rose

We’ve had so much fun over the past few weeks developing and holding our first design contest and have been blown away by the enthusiasm and creativity we’ve seen from our customers and fans! But now, it’s time to announce the winner of our “Design Your ‘Dream’ Baby Bedding Contest”!

The winning custom crib bedding designer is Katherine Gibson for her design, “The Gibson Collection”!

This baby bedding collection was one of my favorites and apparently one of yours as well!  Over 1000 people voted and Katherine’s collection received 42% of the total votes cast, blowing away the competition!

Katherine will have her choice of receiving one of the following: her custom crib bedding collection or up to $500 put toward anything she’s purchased from Carousel Designs during the contest period (just in case she couldn’t wait until the end of the contest!).

Congratulations, Katherine!

Do you love “The Gibson Collection” as much as we did? Buy it! Katherine’s collection is available for purchase as is, or simply click “customize this design” below the collection details page to create the perfect crib bedding for you and your baby!

It’s baby couture!

And because of the incredible response we’ve received from our first ever design contest, don’t be surprised if we do this again! “Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to stay abreast of all future happenings at Carousel Designs!! Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!