Is the baby awake or asleep?

Should we tiptoe around or is it okay to crank up the tunes?

Ask the nursery doorhanger!

There’s nothing like a simple sign for the nursery door to solve the communication problem, and make sure the baby will get his nap time.

Felt wool pillows embroidered with a sweet bunny face hang from stretchable loops that will fit any size of door knob or hook, while the swivel hardware that lets you flip the sign without taking it off the door. Think of the standard hotel’s “do not disturb” door-hanger… only, you know, all soft and cute for a baby.

DIY idea for crafters who hate to sew:
Use a hot-glue gun to stick together a couple squares of felt or fleece (any type of fabric that won’t ravel at the edges), leaving one edge open to stuff in a little fibrefill soft-toy stuffing or quilt batting to give it a bit of a poof. Use purchased appliques or fabric paint to make the bunny faces.

Remember when hankies were made of fabric — for every day use, not just “for show” or for special occasions like weddings? When I discovered the handkerchief craft tutorials at Bumblebee Linens, it was an instant trip down Memory Lane…

As a small child, I learned to iron (a skill I seldom practice these days!) on Dad’s big cotton handkerchiefs. More interesting, however, were the hankie dolls and animals that my mother showed me how to make when I was confined to bed with chicken pox (or possibly mumps, one of those childhood illnesses, anyway) for what seemed like weeks…

The handkerchief-craft tutorials at Bumblebee Linens include a mouse, an angel and the cutest little Easter bunny you could ever imagine making from a rolled-up and folded piece of embroidered linen.

I distinctly remember making a handkerchief mouse from one of my father’s big plaid hankies, and feeling slightly outraged that he didn’t have any that were more appropriately mouse-coloured. There was a doll, too — just big enough to fit in the palm of my young hand — but I’ve long since forgotten how to make it, and haven’t yet found the instructions anywhere…

At the moment, though, hankering for spring, I’m all about this handkerchief bunny –

All you need is a hanky (or a hanky-sized piece of lightweight fabric), a length of ribbon, a handful of cotton balls, and a needle and thread — but don’t worry about the needle and thread, if sewing’s not your thing or you want to create an Easter Bunny as a project with your kids, because that’s just to fasten on the little cotton-ball tail. (The instructions say to pin the tail on the rabbit, actually, but you might as well take a couple of quick in-and-out stitches with thread and not worry about having a stray pin falling out on the carpet — not that this is something that would ever have happened to us!)

Full instructions for making a handkerchief bunny — with step-by-step photographs — are at Bumblebeelinens.com Hankie Bunny tutorial.

Enjoy!

Just peeking around Dwell Kids to see what’s new in junior bedding… and doesn’t that lovely long-eared rabbit look familiar?

The green rabbit, there on the bedside night table?

I’m sure it’s got to be “Bunny” by Merav Flam (Manuella Design), the floppy lovable stuffed toy that is always making me think of that classic children’s book, The Velveteen Rabbit…

I really loved the Bunny in grey; and it’s even better in that fashionable soft friendly green colour.

A cuddly fleece bedtime friend — what’s not to love?

Feeling rejected?
Here’s a rabbit who shares your pain.

From Beautiful Pillows The Misfits collection, this cuddly bunny is done up in all wool felt with cartoon-like character in its top-stitched detail.

The same delightfully down-at-mouth spirit is also available as a cat, dog, whale, or chicken pillow companion.