This past summer I drug home an antique baby bed from a yard sale with grand plans to convert it into a little settee for my guest room. I finished it up in December. No, it didn’t take that long to do, it just took ME that long to get around to it. Love this project!

The man I purchased it from (yet another kind neighbor I had never met) had a nice workshop and was nice enough to cut off the brackets on one side that held the rails in place so that they wouldn’t be sticking out. I gave it a good sanding to take off loose chippy (I’m sure lead) paint. I used sandpaper and sanding block on the first piece but a sander and a light hand on the second piece. I used rubber gloves and a face mask while sanding. I rubbed 3 or so coats of wax over it with cheese cloth letting each coat dry between them. I finished one end during the summer and brought into the house and checked on it after it cured (a month or so) and the wax had hardened and it had a nice glow.  So then I tackled the curved pieced which had much more chipping and rust. So after the pieces were dry from the wax I assembled it with help from the guys. 

It is very sturdy and very heavy. IRON all the way. I love the curved end and the elephants. The wooden wheel casters. I love the worn spots on the inside where countless children kicked it lying in their beds. I bought some old coat hooks at the salvage shop in Cullman and hung the railing I took off in my keeping room and have linens hanging on it. Perfect!

Now for the fun part! I had a few baby pillow cases in my collection of linens so I ordered some inserts from amazon. I purchased some shams from Target in their Shabby Chic line. They are perfect! And added a bunny made of a quilt that I already had as well as using the boys old crib mattress. This is where I wish I had bought that awesome mirror with the baby shoes back at Bella Rustica. It would look perfect over this.

True to form, I found my cat sleeping up here the next day. It does look cozy.

Here are some pictures off of Pinterest of other crib converts that are really beautiful. Hope you enjoy them. I think I need to embellish mine a bit more!!

Katey