American Girl on a Firefighter's Salary - Part 1

Poor Tink, she's doesn't know she's about to
be ditched for Megara!

Our oldest daughter got an 18 inch doll for Christmas.  A tradition that we have it to open a present before bed on Christmas Eve that always has pajamas in it - makes for good pictures on Christmas morning to have PJs where the tops and bottoms actually match.  D, also got a matching doll dress, which she assumed was for her 18" Tinkerbell.  Kinda big on her, but she was happy to have a matching set of PJs not matter what.  Luckily for her, Christmas morning she had an 18 inch doll waiting under the tree for her.  

I will be so glad when she gets out of
the squinty eye/squished nose phase!

Folded neatly, as we speak.
Time for summer PJs...

They two have been inseparable since.  Now, her doll is not an American Girl, it was Kohl's Dollie and Me version that I got for fifteen bucks on Black Friday because I am just not going to put that much money into a doll for a 6 year-old.  So sorry.  She does not know the difference and was just thrilled to have an American Girl like her friends at school.  Megara is just perfect for her!

Patiently waiting for D
 to come home

Lately, she has been very particular about tucking her into her sleeping bag right next to her.  We had a plastic baby doll bed that bit the dust and I thought it was time that I started looking for a bed for her girl.



And that was a bad case of sticker shock!  

HOLY WOW!  Who is going to pay that for poorly constructed knock-off furniture??  Clearly lots of people, but not this girl!  There are handmade beds available from John Q. Public, much better quality, but still $75+.  Still not paying that for a 7 year-old's birthday present!  

So I hit Pinterest, where else, to find some inspiration.  My first thought was My Froggy Stuff - find her on YouTube.  She does AMAZING things with hot glue, duct tape and card board.  I used some of her tutorials for Barbie pieces, but they did not withstand the wrath of babyzilla.  She maybe 5, she is still rough on toys.  Then I moved on to DIYs for wooden beds.  This was my first thought - super easy to do, based on the AG Farmhouse bed.  I kept looking until I found this one and fell in love.  I was not a fan of the balls and thought that the cross beams were a bit bulky, so there were some modifications.

It took 24 hours from start to finish.  The wood cost $20 - including the finials and decorative piece , the spray paint was $3.50, the fabric was on sale for $5 for a yard and the 2" chair pad that I used for mattress was $4.50 with my 40% off coupon.  $33 is not too shabby in my estimation.  Especially if you look at the version that $45 buys you in the stores. 

Finials instead of those monster balls on the original example.

For the Headboard - it is all in the details.

By the way, you can still get high from the fumes in the basement!  Spray paint - WHOA!  

Thanks to Elly @firewifeelly for the
suggestion to use some of the sheer
curtains I have laying around...

This is where last night left off.  Definitely looking like a bed!

Finials

Finished product!
My no-sew mattress and pillows - I'm still terrified of sewing
my fingers together!

Headboard.

So, that leaves me having to figure out how to make bedding - without sewing it.  I am also picking up a jewelry box from Craigslist to turn into an armoire for Megara.  Again, $60 is not worth it for us.  

WORST part of all of this - I have to wait ELEVEN DAYS to see her reaction!  I am going to sneak them into her bedroom before I go to bed, so that when she wakes up on her birthday they will be waiting for her.  And, I have to figure out where to stash this beast...I've kept her out of the back of basement (the path to the "library" goes through Daddy's workbench area.

Happy Wednesday.  My FF is on shift, keep his safety in his thoughts, as well as that of the Wayne-Westland FF family who lost their FF today.  Our prayers are with you as you find peace .