Carousel Designs Blog

A little secret about toddler beds that does not seem immediately self-evident is that most crib mattresses are actually the same size as toddler mattresses.  In other words, crib mattresses and toddler mattresses are one and the same.  The real difference lies in the sheeting and the fact that a crib is enclosed and a toddler bed is not.

Babies don’t sleep with top sheets, blankets or pillows since it is considered unsafe.  Toddlers, however, can use pillows, blankets and a nice warm comforter.  The size of the actual mattress, however, stays the same.  This means that most cribs can be converted for toddlers and can be used for several years.

All of the cribs that I looked at when making the purchase claimed to be “convertible”.  A convertible crib simply means that the movable rail can be detached and the mattress lowered – enabling a toddler to move in and out of his new “big kid” bed on his own.  Each crib has a unique way of making the conversion, but the fundamentals remains the same.  Check your crib manufacturer for specifics on crib to toddler bed conversion.

So when babies become toddlers and make the transition to a “toddler bed”, it is time to trade in the bumper for a pillow and add top sheets and comforters to their fitted crib, er, toddler sheet.

John

Today’s changing tables are built with baby safety in mind and most have a convenient strap to keep baby from accidentally rolling off the table.  The contoured changing pads add a small lip on either side for an extra bit of safety.  We actually have an old fashioned baby buggy stroller that doubles as a cradle as well as an emergency changing area and it uses a flat changing pad insert.  In the nursery we have a changing pad table that has the contoured changing pad.

In either case, it has become abundantly clear that a back-up changing pad cover is not just prudent, but often necessary.  In the early days of diaper changing, I simply could not figure out how to take care of all the tasks with just two hands.  And that inexperience often presented a need to quickly wash the changing pad cover.  And babies typically don’t wait until the wash and dry cycle are complete before demanding a fresh diaper change.

For the old fashioned buggy changing pad we stuck with the simple, solid white changing pad cover.  For our nursery and the contoured changing pad, we went with the pink minky changing pad cover as it matched the rest of the nursery.

Quality changing pad covers make great baby gifts and most parents would appreciate a second set.  At Babybedding.com, we have over 150 designs to choose from in both flat and contoured designs.  Starting at just $14, these great gifts will be easy on the pocketbook as well.

Etsy.com is going to be hosting a highly innovative online baby shower event beginning this afternon at 4:00 pm EST. 

For those looking for one-of-a-kind handmade baby gifts, there are a lot of small shops on Etsy that are operated by stay at home moms and a variety of artisans.  The virtural shower is a live event where artists and moms are collaborating and donating so all moms will be able to receive a special gift. 

Read more at Etsy

John

For over 20 years, we have been designing baby bedding collections that are bundled together and presented as a package. For instance, we offer 4 piece crib bedding sets, 3 piece cradle bedding sets, 3 piece portable crib bedding sets and 4 piece toddler bedding sets.

What makes us different from typical baby bedding resellers is that we also offer any of our crib bedding pieces A la cart. We are the factory, after all, and that comes with many advantages!

For those looking to accommodate friends and family operating on a tighter budget, the babybedding.com baby gift registry is a perfect way indicate your preferences and allow others buy baby gifts as separate items rather than as an entire collection. Our high quality crib sheets start at just $18 and they can easily be coordinated with any nursery design. And coordinating crib skirts start at a low $37.00.

If you are on a tight budget or just want to be conscientious about the budgets of your loved ones, consider using the gift registry to manage your nursery decorating needs. With many crib bedding and nursery decor products under $40, everyone will be able to share the joy of giving without busting their budget.

John

I’ll have to admit that when my wife was expecting and we were signing up for a baby gift registry, I didn’t even know what a valance was.  Of course, there were many things I didn’t know, but I remember asking, “what is a window valance and why do we need one?”

Like a crib skirt, the primary purpose of a valance is to hide unsightly hardware.  But valances can also bring together a theme and put the finishing touches on a nursery.  Valances can be used with or without curtains, but they are typically paired with curtains for a more formal appearance.

Valances are also considered window treatments and come several styles.  At babybedding.com, we offer two of the most time-honored and versatile styles: balloon valances and tab top valances.

The balloon valance (also known as rod pocket valance) typically envelopes the curtain rod and gathers, or ballons, along the width of the window.

Balloon Style Window Valance

A tab top valance hangs on the curtain rod via a series of loops and leaves parts of the curtain rod exposed.

Tab Top Window Valance

Whether you are looking to add a splash of color to your nursery or want to add the finishing touch to a coordinating design, window valances are a great way to bring together your nursery.

If you’re the kind of person who thinks about baby names at the most random times, then you can appreciate my mini obsession. I am a sucker for unique baby names, and will get inspiration from the most unlikely of sources. For example, a globe.

I scan the world’s countries and cities looking for potential baby names. I’ve come up with quite a few good ones…. Cairo is one of my favorites. Also topping the list is Parma (city in Italy) and Celaya (city in Mexico).

I do believe that map-scanning is a great way to find a baby name. However, it’s important not to get carried away. It would be quite unfortunate for a baby to end up with a food-sounding name like Chile, Turkey or Hungary. There are thousands of cities and countries that have no business in a baby book. Keep it unique, but not odd!

Some popular baby name websites that might be able to help are: babynames.com, the social security administration, yeah baby and baby zone.

Haley

When my wife was expecting, I found myself suddenly surrounded by expecting couples. Shower invitations poured in and it seemed like there was an event every couple of weeks.  Having a limited budget and lots of shower invitations can mean reserving premium gifts for close friends and family and more budget-oriented gifts for coworkers and acquaintances. 

Keeping within budget while bringing a cool gift to the shower requires using a bit of creativity.  Dr. Seuss books are always a hit and today there are lots of board books that are perfect for babies who love to tear paper.  But another idea I recently discovered is creating custom onesies.  Makeaonesie.com is a great place to create a custom onesie (or sleeper or romper) for less than $20.  They have an intelligent interface where custom onesies can be made and visually rendered in seconds.

I haven’t ordered from them before and I wonder if others can share their experience.

John

Are you faced with buying a bedding gift for an expectant friend or family member? Are you decorating for your baby’s nursery, but don’t know what you’re having? Don’t worry – there are many options for finding the perfect baby bedding set that is both stylish and practical.

Our selection of gender neutral crib bedding options is perfect for families who are waiting until baby’s birthday to find out its sex. And unlike the baby bedding picks of yesteryear, these products are modern, stylish, and completely loveable. Featuring everything from Western Pony to Just Duck, these picks sacrifice nothing on style. Our nursery decor section also offers an array of matching, gender neutral baby gifts.

For those looking for a basic solid bedding option, we have a wide variety of solid colors represented in our collection. These are also great options that lend for unlimited design ideas.

Haley

Since we first launched the design your own baby bedding application one month ago, there have been a number of interesting and creative designs created by our customers.  In an industry that is often dominated by pinks and blues, it was quite a surprise to see several custom creations composed in black and white.

Here are a few of the black and white crib bedding sets that have been picked as staff favorites.  In the future, we will certainly highlight other custom crib bedding creations.

The first set is simple yet very modern.  The comforter has the front side in solid white with the back and trim in solid black.  The crib skirt is solid white with a black trim and the bumper features the same solid white with black trim configuration.  This set also features a solid white crib sheet.

Modern Black and White Custom Crib Bedding

The next custom black and white crib bedding collection features bold black and white stripes and utilizes the black deck fabric.  The bumper and crib skirt both highlight the black deck fabric and feature a solid black trim.  The comforter has black deck fabric on the front and solid black on the back and trim.  The crib sheet is solid black.

Black Deck Custom Baby Bedding

The third black and white custom crib bedding set features a mixture of solids, stripes, dots and checks – all in black and white.  The crib bumper has an interesting combination of black gingham and black and white dots in alternating panels with black and white striped ties and trim.  The front of the comforter is in black gingham, the back is in black and white stripe and the trim is in black and white dots.  The crib sheet is solid black and the crib skirt is created with black gingham and trimmed in black and white stripes.

Black and White Checked Custom Crib Bedding

John

It should come as no surprise that Carousel Designs is proud to display the label “made in the U.S.A.”.  Occasionally, we like to spotlight other unique businesses that share that special label and provide services relevant to ours.

Platypus Productions offers unique, handmade wall clocks that can be fully customized to match your nursery.  Send them your fabric swatches from your custom crib set creation and they can create a customized clock that matches your nursery bedding.  Now that’s unique!

They even offer a camouflage clock that would go well with our camo crib bedding set.  Every clock they offer is hand-crafted and original.  Visit their website to order a unique wall clock customized to match your baby bedding.   

John