Baby Makes 3

-"Baby Makes 3" is funded in part by... -Dear baby, if you can't tell by the bump, you'll be here soon.

To be honest, I'm freaking out a bit.

There's still so much to do -- a lot of organizing, name picking, decorating, and cleaning, all while lugging around 25 or so extra pounds.

I guess I'm feeling a little bit crazy, but I'm allowed to be, right?

I'm your mom, and I want everything to be perfect for you.

I'll see you soon.

Love, mom.

-And by... -When it comes to baby's health, clean water is at the top of the list.

Food News Media -- supporting clean water for America's restaurant industry and for baby for life.

-We are at the home of Jenn and LeVaughn, who are all about family, and they can't wait to start their own.

They're young professionals who are at the top of their game.

But when it comes to creating their daughter's nursery, they're overwhelmed and they're at a standstill.

So, hopefully, with our help, we can get them back on track today on "Baby Makes 3."

-Ah!

[ Laughs ] -That moment when you go from couple to family, everything changes.

When you bring the baby home, you want to create a warm, comfortable, and safe environment for them.

Step one -- the nursery.

-Well, my name is Jenn.

-And I'm LeVaughn.

And we're having our first child.

-Our first baby.

-Victoria.

-Victoria Marie.

-Well, first off, we're both very supportive in each other's industries.

-I have my PhD in behavioral neuroscience.

I'm now doing a post-doc at Duke University.

-Well, I came out of Detroit.

Did a couple years in technical school to become a graphic designer.

-I was in grad school at the time.

And I had no time, so I had no chance of meeting anybody.

And my mom was the one who was like, "Oh, I saw this show.

And they say you should go on this site."

I was like, "Okay, let's see how this works 'cause this online thing may not work."

And I met him the first week I was on there.

She is good at finding some houses, I'll tell you that.

-He's like, "You should be a real-estate agent."

-Yeah.

She found this... She found this place -- two floors, super-tall ceiling over, you know, here in the living room area, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms.

-We have the nursery upstairs.

-The nursery's going upstairs, so Victoria's room.

-It's actually a pretty big room, 'cause she has, like, a walk-in closet and everything.

-Mm-hmm.

-It's a pretty nice space.

I just remember when we walked in we were just like -- Well, when we found out we were having Victoria, I was like, "I don't know what to do with this room."

My thought behind for "Baby Makes 3" -- um, it was just more of, like, I know I might have so many ideas, but then having a designer to actually hone in and then just, like, create something that's like, "Wow, this is very beautiful."

-Jenn and LeVaughn's nursery is underway.

Our "Baby Makes 3" team has come up with a number of DIY projects that will create a touch of elegance that our couple is hoping to bring to their daughter's nursery.

We prepped our room for painting and created a beautiful accent wall using painted stripes.

Jenn and I dressed up an armoire while LeVaughn and Steven built a cornice that we'll cover in one of our fabrics our couple selected.

You ready?

-Ah.

-Ooh.

-Okay, it looks nice so far.

-What do you think?

-Love it.

-This is awesome.

-Awesome.

Everybody's been extremely helpful and very knowledgeable and professional folks and have taught us a lot.

-It made me learn that I don't have to just buy things already made.

I can try to be more creative and make it my own.

-I can't wait to see the -- -I know, the finished product.

-Yeah, I'm very excited about it.

-Right now, Jenn and I are going to begin creating the curtain accent for their crib that our designer, Lauren, has included in the room.

We're also cutting our fabric for the cornice that Steven and LeVaughn have built.

We'll be using this later.

So, I wanted to show you a little bit about fabric.

So, this has been cut with just plain shears.

-Mm-hmm.

-And you see how it's unraveling?

-Yes, I do.

-Yeah.

So we want to use pinking shears.

They've got this zigzag edge right here.

And that will keep your fabric from doing this.

-Okay.

-I'm just gonna cut it on this edge.

And then you'll see the difference.

Unravel... -Mm-hmm.

-Compared to how -- Yeah.

Okay.

So we're gonna measure your drapes and cut it.

-Okay.

-But if you were alone, this is fabulous.

I got this at a local craft store.

It's sticky on the back.

So... -Oh, that's cool.

-Yeah, when I measure things without someone helping me, it just tacks right on to your fabric.

-Oh, I can feel it.

-And you can measure something.

-Okay.

-Yeah, it's great when you hang pictures, too, 'cause it sticks to the wall, but it doesn't take the paint off afterwards.

So it's just really -- it's a really helpful tool.

-Okay.

-Okay.

So, we have measured how long we want it.

-Mm-hmm.

-To hang all the way to the ground.

So, let's measure it all out there.

-Keep going.

-And then I'll have you cut it.

-Okay.

-Great.

Love this stuff.

[ Laughs ] -I want to design.

[ Laughs ] -All right, LeVaughn, I've brought you out here to see -- Oh, wow.

This is beautiful, Steven.

-Thank you.

How are you two today?

-We're doing really well.

-Great, wow.

-So, I had Steven pick up this piece of furniture for me.

-Awesome.

Thanks, Steven.

-Your welcome.

-It look looks great.

I love it.

-So, we're gonna use this as your toy box.

-Mm-hmm.

-Wow.

-But -- Yes, it's gonna be beautiful.

But it does raise some safety concerns.

-Oh, okay, I see.

-So, toy-box safety is really important.

-It is.

-Yes, extremely, I agree.

-So, one of the things we're gonna do -- We're gonna open this up.

And I'll show you a couple of things.

So, most importantly, we want to take care of your baby and make sure she doesn't get hurt.

So... -Yes.

-Right now... -Yeah.

- ...that's a little bit dangerous.

-Yes, I see.

-Yes.

Yes.

Okay.

-Very clearly.

-Steven, tell us what you're gonna do.

-Yes, we have some solutions here.

The first thing we're going to do is we're gonna cut out a decorative profile on the front and the two sides.

-Okay.

-That will not only keep fingers from being mashed when they're in these areas, but it will provide airflow throughout.

So that if your child should get inside, they can breathe.

-Yes.

-Okay, great.

Yeah.

-The other thing we're going to do to control this fall -- We're going to install this hinge in.

And, basically, what it does is it goes on one side and has a mechanical gear inside of it.

And as the lid slows... -Ah, I see.

- ...it just recesses.

-Awesome idea.

-Yes.

-Okay, that is a great idea.

-So a very slow close from now on.

-Yeah.

-The other thing we're going to do, since we're cutting this profile off the front -- You saw it had a lock as we opened it up.

-Yes.

-We're taking that hardware off.

-Yeah.

We don't want it to lock.

-Right, no lock.

-Yeah.

-I appreciate you guys having, you know, my daughter's safety in mind.

-But we're not only just gonna improve this safety wise, we're also gonna change the look a little bit.

-We are going to give this a light sanding all around, pay a little extra attention to the edges, to round and soften those.

And then we will apply our paint.

And your toy chest will be a keepsake forever.

-Awesome, sounds good to me.

-Wonderful.

Well, let's get started.

-All right.

-All right.

-I'm gonna show you how to do the no-sew curtains.

-Okay.

-Okay.

It's pretty easy, but there's a few steps.

So we'll just go through it.

-All right.

Awesome.

-Okay.

So, this is just a practice piece of fabric that we're gonna use to start with.

-Uh-huh.

-So, what I've done...

This is fusion tape.

-Mm-hmm.

-And this is what bonds the fabric together.

-Okay.

-So I'm gonna take a piece of this, which I've already cut.

And what I want to do is I want to fold over the edge to about the width of the fusion tape.

Okay?

-All right.

-So, after I've done that, I'm just gonna lift it out for a second.

And then I'm just gonna press this so these edges stay.

So, we'll just press this for a second.

And then, this'll just help our process.

-Okay.

-Okay.

So, we're gonna press this together.

And this'll kind of make a pocket for the fusion tape to go in.

-Okay.

-Okay.

So there we go.

So, now what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna take that fusion tape.

I'm gonna put back in there like that.

Now, before we take the iron to it again, I have something called a pressing cloth.

-Okay.

-You can have a sheet or pillowcase or you can buy a pressing cloth.

You want to make sure that it's damp -- not really wet, but damp.

And you're gonna put it flat against the fabric.

And, basically, what this does is it just protects your fabric from the iron.

This is really hot.

We have it on the wool setting... -Okay.

-To make sure that this fuses.

And not all fabrics can take this heat.

So you want to check first.

Like, silks could be scorched and stuff like that.

And then, we also have the pressing cloth to protect it.

-Okay.

-So we have the pressing cloth on here.

It's flat.

And then, what I'm gonna do is I'm just gonna push on here for 10 seconds.

And I don't go back and forth.

I'm just pushing.

-You want just pushing.

-Yeah, exactly.

And then, that heat is what's gonna fuse it.

I'm just gonna do over here.

Just press it down for 10 seconds.

And... And you also want to make sure there's water in your iron so it can steam.

-Okay.

-So, pull that apart.

You can see that it's already fused together.

But we want to make sure that it will not come apart.

And so we're gonna do this side as well.

Make sure that's flat.

And press again for 10 seconds.

Make sure there's steam.

-Okay.

I see the steam.

-You see the steam.

And just remember -- you don't want to go back and forth.

Okay, that should do it.

So, we pull that off.

And then you have this beautiful hem... -Oh, okay.

- ...that you didn't have to sew.

-Okay, this is awesome.

-Isn't that perfect?

-'Cause I can't sew.

[ Laughs ] -Oh.

Well, good.

See, anybody can do this.

It's perfect.

So, we're gonna do this to all four sides of those three curtain panels.

-Mm-hmm.

-The two that are gonna go over the window and the one that's gonna hang from the cornice.

-Okay.

-Okay?

And then, the two that are gonna go over your window, we have these really cool little clips.

So, what you're gonna do is once that's done, we're gonna clip that on there, hang that from the rod, and you can see that that is on there.

-Super tough, okay.

-Super tough.

Super tough, super easy.

-Yes.

Yes.

-How's that?

Voil.

-Okay, that's awesome.

-So what I'm gonna work on now is upholstering the cornice that Steven and LeVaughn made.

What I've done is I've cut the cotton batting about the size of the cornice, but a little bit longer so I can wrap it around.

And upholstering something is a pretty easy and inexpensive way to change the look in your room.

And it's a lot of fun.

So, I've got my cotton batting, and I've pulled it around both sides, and I'm gonna staple it.

You don't have to staple it, but it's a lot easier when you're doing it on your own.

So, I'm gonna take my cotton batting, wrap it around this edge.

You want to pull it as tight as you can.

It doesn't have to be perfect.

And I'm gonna start making some staples.

So, I've stapled this whole side.

And you see that the staples are about 3 inches apart, just to make sure that this is really secure.

All right.

Our batting is secure.

So, next, we're gonna finish upholstering by putting the fabric on.

So, most importantly, we want to make sure that the design is on correctly.

And this is very symmetrical, so it's really important.

So, I'm gonna flip this up and put the fabric on it.

And what I really like is these four in the middle.

So I want to put it...like that.

All right.

That looks good.

So, once it's in place and I've got what I want, I'm gonna flip it over.

Like that.

Perfect.

So, I'm gonna pull it over, and I'm gonna pull it tight.

And then I'm gonna staple it.

All right.

All that's left is trimming the edges.

And voil.

Our cornice is done.

-The lock.

-Right.

-LeVaughn and Steven are using a jig saw to cut decorative air vents into our toy box.

Next, they'll lightly sand the edges of the cuts and rough up the existing paint.

Make sure your toy box is dust free before you apply your new paint.

Here we are installing our slow-close hinge.

These hinges are rated by the size and weight of the lid, so make sure you're purchasing the right hinge for your project.

Vintage furniture may have defects.

But you can touch it up with a little putty, available at your local paint store.

We're going to protect our beautiful cedar interior with painters tape around all edges.

Now, Steven and LeVaughn will apply the new paint to make this repurposed cedar chest the perfect toy box for baby.

Also, before sanding and painting any vintage furniture, make sure to test old paint for lead.

If it tests positive, consult a professional refinisher.

Lead test kits are available at your local hardware store.

-Things actually have been going really awesome.

-They've been going great.

-Throughout the whole process and, you know, we -- -So much creativity.

-And I love creativity.

-Jenn did a fabulous job with our no-sew curtains.

Now she'll attach our curtain rings with safety clips.

Safety clips are a good solution because they'll attach right to the curtain panel and don't require curtain hooks or specialized hardware.

The rings make opening and closing drapes easy.

Back in the nursery, LeVaughn and Steven are installing a chandelier fit for a princess.

We always recommend calling a licensed contractor when working with electricity.

Here, Steven has ensured our power is off at the fuse panel and the wires are safely disconnected from a power source.

With the wires installed properly and the chandelier attached to the ceiling box, we are done, and it looks beautiful.

I have these really cool 3-D butterflies.

They come in three different sizes.

There's gold on one side and silver mirrored effect on the other side.

They're really neat.

They come with adhesive on the back that's already there, really easy to use.

They're lightweight.

So, what we're gonna do is I'm just gonna peel this off.

And I'm gonna use these to create a 3-D wall mural.

So, all you do, figure out where you want it, boom, that easy.

All right, you two.

Do you know what this is?

-It looks like a really nice baby gate.

-Yes.

-It is a very nice baby gate.

Yes.

It's never too soon to think about safety for your baby.

-Okay.

-Right.

-And your nursery's upstairs.

So, whenever your nursery's upstairs, we want to install a baby gate.

Make sure the baby gets nowhere near those stairs.

-Yes.

-Yes, that makes sense.

-Yes, that's an awesome idea.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-And your baby doesn't really start crawling till about 7 months of age.

But that's gonna come quicker than you think.

You're gonna be so overwhelmed with diapers and feedings and... -Oh, yeah, yeah.

- ...seven months is gonna come really fast, so we want to install this now.

And then you don't have to think about it.

-I agree.

Yes.

-Okay.

-So, I'm gonna have you guys install the baby gate.

And I actually want you to install it right here at the entryway, so that we're just even further away from the stairs.

-Okay, that's a great idea.

-Okay?

-Yeah, it's a great idea.

-So, I'll leave you to it.

-All right, thanks.

-Thank you.

-Over the next few years, you'll be assembling a lot of products and toys for your child.

With all of these products, it is extremely important to follow the manufacturer's instructions for assembly and use.

-Score.

-We are just about done with Jenn and LeVaughn's beautiful and elegant princess-themed nursery.

Finishing touches will bring all of our projects together.

Steven is securely fastening our curtain rod to the wall.

The cornice we built from scratch and upholstered will be attached to the wall with toggle bolts above the crib.

This is a safe and secure way to ensure it won't come down.

Our drapery backdrop will attach to the wall behind the cornice.

Before baby starts to stand, use curtain tiebacks to keep the drapes out of your child's reach.

As with all small objects, our butterflies should be kept out of reach until the child is older.

Before your child learns to climb, if you're going to position your toy box near a window, make sure the window has safety glass and remains locked at all times.

Also, childproof the windows by placing cords out of reach and removing other hazards.

Our armoire and other furniture has been secured to the walls to prevent tipping.

Wow, this turned out to be such an elegant nursery.

I can't wait to show the couple.

Let's go get them.

All right.

We're at the nursery.

Are you excited?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-What are you thinking?

-All the pieces... -Coming together.

-You know, coming together as one, you know.

-Yeah, because we did bits and pieces at a time, just like the LED photo frame.

I'm like, "Okay, where is that gonna be put again?"

-Individually they were awesome.

-Yeah.

-And just to see them all together is probably -- is, I'm sure, gonna be overwhelming.

-So, you were kind of at a standstill at first.

And then, now, we've come together, and we've put all these pieces, and you've done so much to create this nursery.

How does that feel?

-Just at the thought of seeing everything come together and, like, where we started.

We were like, "Well, we have a crib.

This is all we have."

And now the thought of actually doing each and every project and knowing that we could actually personalize things now, we were like, "Okay, maybe for future for our own room... -Yeah.

-We can actually like, "Oh, we can come up with ideas and make it our own."

So that's just exciting to know that we can be creative more so than just going on, like... -Right.

-Online and just like, "Oh, let me just buy this."

-I don't want to keep you waiting any longer.

So let's go to the nursery.

-Okay.

-All right.

-Yes.

-Here we go.

-Okay.

-Here we go.

-Ah!

[ Laughs ] Oh, my goodness!

This is awesome.

I'm gonna to keep her room.

-[ Laughs ] -This is so pretty.

-Yeah.

-I just want to -- Okay, I'll sit down.

Oh, it rocks.

[ Chuckles ] -And we have your chandelier.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-Enchanting, magical.

-And it brightens up the room perfectly.

-I know.

-Mm-hmm.

-Wow, speechless.

-This is amazing.

-This is awesome.

-These were really easy to do.

And they come out.

You know, they unstick.

You can put them wherever you like.

-Anywhere?

Oh, okay.

So they are removable.

-Yeah.

-And this mirror... -I know.

-Isn't it beautiful?

-Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?

[ Laughter ] Maybe I should've... -I love it.

-I'm glad at how well this fits.

-We were wondering -- You know, you were wondering about the color of the wood.

-Mm-hmm.

-And you look around, and it fits perfectly.

-I love it.

-And, you know, those were our no-sew curtains that we worked on.

-I know!

-Look at how good they look!

So easy.

And our cornice.

And then, I have to show you this really cool toy box.

Watch this.

-Oh!

-Oh!

-Isn't that amazing?

Did you see the pillows?

-Yes.

-With the "V" that you asked for.

We gave you the "V," right?

-Yes, yes, yes.

-We got the "V," yes.

-Yeah.

-And your armoire... -Oh, yeah.

Of course.

- ...that we put together.

-Yeah.

[ Laughs ] Oh, it's got a little print!

-And then... -Yes, of course.

Of course.

-Isn't that beautiful?

Yeah.

And it really would be a beautiful night-light.

-Wow, speechless.

-This is amazing.

-This is...princess, elegant.

-That's it, yeah.

-Peach and gold, all of it together.

-This is it.

-Yeah.

This is awesome.

-So, now that you've seen the nursery, what are your first thoughts?

-Everything just came together so nicely.

And we're just so appreciative that you guys came here and helped us... -Yeah, really.

- ...with our first baby.

-Yeah.

-And this, I can definitely see her growing here more so than just like, "Oh, we're gonna have to change it when she turns 3 or 4."

It's like, "No."

-No, no.

-This is gonna -- This is one of those beds that you can go into full size.

You still... [ Laughs ] So, look at that.

-Yeah.

-And I can see us putting -- You know, just making memories here.

And it's just great to...

It just -- Oh, my goodness.

I'm just speechless.

I just can't even talk.

[ Both laugh ] -Well, I had so much fun working on your nursery.

And I wish you both the best of luck.

-Thank you.

-Oh, thank you.

-She's gonna be a little queen.

-Yes.

-Yes, she is.

She is.

-Well, I'm Melissa Lozoff for "Baby Makes 3."

And it's time to put this one to bed.

-Closed captioning is brought to you by... Snuggle Me Organic -- organic cotton and wool loungers and bed sharing cushions for baby.

-"Baby Makes 3" is funded in part by... -Dear baby, if you can't tell by the bump, you'll be here soon.

To be honest, I'm freaking out a bit.

There's still so much to do -- a lot of organizing, name picking, decorating, and cleaning, all while lugging around 25 or so extra pounds.

I guess I'm feeling a little bit crazy, but I'm allowed to be, right?

I'm your mom, and I want everything to be perfect for you.

I'll see you soon.

Love, mom.

-And by... -When it comes to baby's health, clean water is at the top of the list.

Food News Media -- supporting clean water for America's restaurant industry and for baby for life.

-Safety first.

"Baby Makes 3" nurseries are created for newborns.

Some projects may not be suitable for older children.

When in doubt, seek the help of a licensed contractor.

For more information, visit us on the web at babymakes3.tv.

-The "Baby Makes 3" DVD set helps make those first parenting decisions the right decisions.

Discover more than 50 nursery projects, including a starlight ceiling and nursery accent wall.

Create a fun, adorable, and safe space for your baby.

Available for $19.95 including shipping and handling.

Order online at babymakes3.tv.