Baby Portrait Ideas - How to Take Beautiful Portraits of Your Children

One of the trends we see now in nursery design, are large black and white photos of baby displayed in the room over the crib. While nothing can substitute the quality of a professional lens, with a few simple tips it is possible to take beautiful black and white or color portraits of your family at home. Order enlarged prints at your local photo developer, and you will have a beautiful and inexpensive keepsake to hang on your wall. Following are some tips to help you take beautiful portraits.

Lighting is Key

In order to take a beautiful picture lighting is always the key. Soft, natural, indirect lighting will always give you the best results. Turn off your flash, which gives a flat look to your photos. Find a window with some indirect lighting and shoot away. This natural light will bring out all of the natural highlights and shadows on your subject's face.

Here is picture my husband took of our daughter holding her new brother. This photo was taken in our hospital room with her sitting on a bench by a window with indirect sunlight. I love the results, and it is photo I will always cherish of my sweet girl holding her little brother for the first time. No photo studio required!

Set Up Your Photo

Select a background. Some of the best portraits are set up with very simple backgrounds. This allows you to focus solely on your subject. To do this in your home, choose a plain background. One of my favorite techniques is to use a simple length of black velvet as a background. Grab a 40% off coupon  for your favorite fabric store and purchase a 3 yard length of black velvet.

Choose a location. Select a spot a few feet away from a window with lots of indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight will give you harsh shadows. Indirect sunlight is perfect for soft and natural highlights. Experiment by different windows and at different times of day to find the perfect spot for your portraits.

The next big question is what to wear. Don't stress! Most times you will find simple is best. A plain white t-shirt is often perfect. When my youngest son was born we had a lot of fun using these techniques. Here are a few of the photos that are my favorites from our at home photo shoot.

Finally, when taking your photo. Zoom in on you subject. Don't be afraid to get in so close that you crop off part of their head. This will allow you to capture all of the special details and expressions on your loved one's face.

Have Fun!

Sometimes the pressure to take the perfect picture can take all of the fun out the the process. For these pictures I took with my daughter, we used a the timer on my camera. We choose the fun daisies as a prop and to get her to smile naturally, I used the tickle technique! Guess what the results were? Most of the pictures were blurry because she was moving too much for a picture without flash. So, I used the flash for some of our photos. Not ideal, but still produced some of my favorite photos I have of us together.

My final tip, take a lot of pictures. Professional photographers always take lots of photos. We don't always get to see the not so perfect shots. If you take several photos, some of them are going to turn out beautifully.

Guitar Baby Bedding - Ideas for a Rockstar Nursery

Guitar Baby Bedding is perfect for a rockstar themed for baby boy's nursery. If you are looking for something unique for a baby boy, a rock and roll theme will be perfect for any music lover.

This adorable crib bedding set by designer Trend Lab will set up your little boy's nursery in rockin' style. The set combines a trendy plaid and a guitar splatter print with a soft brown ultra suede perfect for a baby boy. Embroidered appliques of guitars, musical notes and the word rockstar provide the finishing touches.

Ideas for your Guitar Nursery

• Decorate one of the walls of your nursery with old records or cds. Multiple cds or records can make an interesting graphic statement on the wall.
• Go to a local thrift shop or used instrument store and purchase a old guitar. Hang it on the wall of your nursery for a fun an interesting statement. Make sure to hang it out of the reach of your baby.
• Paint the lyrics of a song on the wall. Choose something that is meaningful to you.
• Frame Cds or records or the sleeves for interesting wall art. 
• Apply peel and stick decals of stars or musical notes for your nursery walls.
• Don't forget the drum! Buy you little guy a kid's drum set. Every toddler boy loves to bang on a drum. Pick up some ear plugs as well!

Bedding Giveaway

Enter to Win a Bedding Set

Sweet Dreams My Child is giving away a bedding set of our winners choice. Enter below to win a baby, toddler, kids or teen bedding set of your choice! You must choose a bedding set you would like to win and follow us on Facebook to enter. There are also several other options to get you extra entries into our giveaway!

This contest begins on May 5, 2013 and ends May 18, 2013.

Our winner will be notified on May 19, 2013 by email.

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Cheetah Print Bedding for Girls

It's no secret, many girls love animal prints! They are bold, fun and stylish. One of the popular preferences is cheetah print. For purses, shoes and home decor a touch of cheetah print makes a bold statement.

We have found Cheetah Print Bedding to be one of the favorite choices of our customers. For the baby's nursery, kid's or teen's room, there is something irresistible about this wild print.

Cheetah Print Baby Crib Bedding

If you are looking to style a nursery in cheetah, take a look at this wonderful bedding set by Sweet Jojo Designs. This Girl's Pink Cheetah Print Baby Crib Bedding Set may be just what you need.

Features we love about this bedding set:

• This set uses a fun and striking print combined with girly touches. We love the sweet ruffle in pink on the crib quilt and the adorable heart pillow that come with the bedding set. 
• Soft microsuede fabrics give this bedding a cuddly soft feel perfect for babies.
• Because this is such a popular set, there are tons of accessories. You can pick from lamp shades, pillows, curtains, rugs, wall hangings and many other items to create just the look you want.
• This adorable set comes with 9 pieces for a great start on your nursery. You get a crib quilt, bumper, crib skirt, crib sheet, 2 valances, diaper stacker, accent pillow and hanging toy bag.

Pink Cheetah Print Girls Bedding

Love this look and want to carry it on for many years? This great bedding set also comes in a twin and full/queen size. This Girl's Cheetah Print Bedding is perfect for a growing girl and will keep her happy for many years.

Features we love about this set:

• Soft microsuede fabrics feel great to the touch.
• This look is perfect for a young girl and is also something she will love as she grows up. She will still love it even when she is a teen and tween.
• There are lot of accessories to choose from, making it simple and affordable to design a bedroom. You can add memo boards, wall hangings, wall borders or decals and body pillows for a custom room.

More Ideas for Designing Your Room

Balance the bold print with soft touches. We love to add neutral items with texture to create a balanced look. Try adding a soft area rug in a camel color. Your baby or child will love the texture and will enjoy playing or sitting on something cozy. 

Add baskets in a natural wicker for storage. The color and texture will be a nice complement to your cheetah print and will add function to your room adding storage for clothes or toys.

Add exotic accessories. We love the large giraffe used in the picture above. Use your imagination. Go to your local hobby store to look for fun accessories. These accessories will be what gives your room personality and style.

5 Tips for Designing Your Baby's Nursery

The time when you are expecting a baby can be one of the most exciting times in life. You have the ultra sound pictures proudly displayed on your Facebook profile and you feel your sweet baby kick for the first time. There are so many things to think about and prepare before this new life enters your world.

One of the preparations new moms look forward to the most may be designing a nursery for their little one. The nursery is one of your first expressions of love for your baby. Before you can hold your baby in your arms for the very first time, you can create that special space where you and your baby will spend so much time over the next few years. A place where your baby will sleep, play and learn.

Many times new moms may find the experience of designing their nursery overwhelming, but with a few simple tips you can collect your ideas and get started.

Tip 1 - You can create a beautiful nursery on any budget.

If you are like me, you spend a lot of time on Pinterest and other wonderful websites in search of design inspiration. This can be a lot of fun but can also lead to discouragement. Most of us don't have the budget to work with that many of these professionally designed nurseries were created with. Don't throw in the towel yet. There is good news! A beautiful and special nursery can be created on any budget. Your baby won't care if they sleep in a crib that costs $2,000 or $200. Many personal touches, and special accessories for your nursery can be items that you create yourself for very little money. So put on your creative hat and come up with a little bit of DIY magic!

Tip 2 - Design for function.

Before you begin, make a list of the functions of your nursery in order of importance. Most likely at the top of your list will be a place for your baby to sleep. But go beyond the obvious. Do you plan to feed your baby in his or her room? If you do, a comfy rocker may be in order. Will this be a place for you and your baby to play and read together? If so consider a soft floor rug and some comfy pillows where you can sit and play together as your baby grows. Would you like to add a day bed for seating and for a place for you to sleep near your baby on a bad night? Once you have this list of the way you want the room to function, you will have a much better idea of where to start.

Tip 3 - Be sure to include lots of storage.

You've carefully arranged your nursery, hung each adorable outfit neatly on it's tiny hanger, neatly stacked the itty bitty diapers in a perfectly aligned pile. Then the moment you bring home your sweet little newborn, the chaos ensues. Sleepless nights and mounds of laundry can quickly turn your neatly arranged nursery into total chaos. One way to help yourself keep it all together, is to plan for lots of storage. Begin with your changing table. You will find, you need to keep lots of supplies close at hand: diapers, wipes, lotions, clothing, small toys or rattles. For your changing table, you may want to consider open storage bins. You can keep everything close and easily accessible. These storage bins easily transition to hold toys and books as your baby grows into a toddler.

A small hanging toy bag is also a nice item to keep lotions, powders or small toys within reach while changing   your baby. All of our Sweet Jojo Designs Baby Bedding sets come with a hanging toy bag.

Another item you may want to consider is a Diaper Caddy. Caddies are nice because they are easy to grab and take to another room or on an overnight trip.

Other useful items you may want to consider are a hamper and diaper stacker. You can also get creative in your storage. There are many fun containers available that you could use for storage in your nursery.

Tip 4 - Plan with the future in mind.

When you are designing your nursery, make sure to plan for the future. Your baby will grow so quickly before your eyes and soon you will have a toddler. Before you know it that toddler will turn into a little lady or boy. If your budget allows, you may want to consider a convertible crib. There are many cribs available today that transition into a toddler and then twin size bed. For a changing table, you may want to consider a piece that is more like a dresser. You can attach a cute changing pad by attaching the straps to the back of the dresser. When you don't need the pad anymore, remove it and you have a big kid dresser. Also, consider a crib bedding line that also comes in toddler, twin and full size so that you can use the same accessories for many years. We love the Sweet Jojo Designs Bedding because many of there sets are available in many sizes.

Tip 5 - Personalize your nursery.

There are many beautiful bedding and nursery sets available to help you create the perfect nursery but what will make it really special is adding personal touches. One thing that you can do is display your baby's name or monogram in the room. Check out our Pinterest board for creative ideas for your baby's name.

We also love the idea of using black and white photos in your nursery. Have some special photos taken of you and your baby and enlarge them for a special accent in the room.

If you are crafty, create some special projects for the room. If not, choose special accessories that will give your room a unique and personal feel.

Most of all have fun! This is a special time in your life and nursery for your baby is such a special place. Enjoy the process of creating it and enjoy the time you will spend with your baby in this room.

How to Make Pom Pom Tissue Balls

Ceiling Pom Pom Tissue Balls are a fun and inexpensive way to spruce up a kids bedroom. These fun decorations have become very popular over the last year. They can be used in a nursery or kids bedroom and make perfect decorations for a birthday party or wedding.

These Ceiling Poms are simple to make! Just follow these steps: 

1. Gather your supplies. You will need at least 10 sheets of tissue paper in your color of choice, floral wire, fishing line and a good pair of scissors.


2. Stack 10-15 sheets of tissue paper and lay out flat. Using more sheets will give you a fuller look for your poms.


3. Fold your tissue paper accordion style. Your tissue paper will look like a long fan.


4. Wrap floral wire around the center of your tissue paper and twist. Include a loop at the top for hanging. At this point tie fishing line in the loop and allow enough line for hanging your ceiling pom.


5. Cut both ends of your tissue paper. For this pom, we cut it in a curve for a flowery look.


6. Gently pull apart each layer to open up your pom. Adjust the layers until you are happy with the look. More sheets of paper will give you a fuller look.


7. Hang your ceiling poms by the fishing line you attached in step four. We used clear push pins to attach our poms to the ceiling. 

We hope you have fun making ceiling poms of your own! These are also fun to make with your kids. To make the small poms we used in this project cut the tissue paper in half.

Damask Baby Bedding

One of our favorite trends in nursery decor is the use of damask print. Damask fabric has been around for a long time. It was traditionally a woven fabric made from silk traded along the Silk Road over 2000 years ago. It generally has a background with a woven raised design typically in a botanical pattern. It is often used for upholstery, drapes or table linens.

With such a rich history, it is not surprise that damask print is still popular today and makes an incredible choice for your baby's nursery. To make damask a practical and affordable to use in a nursery, designers are using cotton fabrics with a damask design print. This gives the look of a woven pattern but is machine washable and much more practical for a baby's bedding than an expensive woven silk fabric.

We love the damask crib bedding designs for their high contrast and beauty. Damask brings a certain elegance to a nursery that is beautiful and timeless. We adore the beautiful Isabella line of bedding by Sweet Jojo Designs. This lovely line features damask at its best with a striking black and white print that is a standout.

If you have your heart set on damask for your nursery here are a few tips to follow:

• Decide if you want your nursery to be more traditional or modern. Damask fabric naturally lends itself to traditional style but can definitely be used in a modern nursery. The furniture you choose will set the tone. Ornate or antique style furniture will set the tone for a traditional nursery. You may want to incorporate a beautiful antique rocker to accentuate your style. If you are going for a more modern look, choose furniture with clean and simple lines. Finally, complement your choices with accessories traditional or modern that will complete your look.
• Choose other fabrics for the room that will complement, not clash with your damask pattern. Damask is such a beautiful print that you can let it be the focal point of the room. You may want to incorporate textured fabrics to complement the pattern.
• Think past the crib. When designing your nursery, remember that damask print is a look that will go the distance. It can be perfect for a baby as well as a teen or tween. We love the damask bedding sets by Sweet Jojo Designs because they also come in toddler, twin and full/queen sizes allowing you to create a room that your little girl will love for a long time.

Love the damask style? Be sure to stop by and check out all of our Damask Baby Bedding sets!