How to Decorate a Nursery in a Holly Hobbie Theme

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By LuAnne Payne
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My Holly Hobbie doll from 1972

Any girl who spent part of her childhood in the 1970's or 1980's remembers Holly Hobbie. Just the sight of that bonnet, the patchwork prints and the sweet colors is nostalgic and a reminder of more innocent times.
Holly Hobbie collectables are still quite affordable and are a fun way to decorate a nursery. Another plus is that this theme can be carried on into the "little girl" years since it's not overly babyish.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Bedding and curtains in vintage-looking patterns in your choice of colors
Framed Holly Hobbie artwork
Holly Hobbie collectable plates
Holly Hobbie dolls, either new or vintage
Custom artwork, either done yourself or by a crafty friend

Step 1

Spend some time looking for your favorite Holly Hobbie piece, whether it's a lunch box or a vintage doll, and let it be your inspiration for the rest of the nursery. A good starting point is a local flea market or a website such as ebay. The lunch box and thermos pictured cost me $10 at a flea market.
Step 2

Now is a good time to pick out curtains and bedding. Holly Hobbie items are predominantly blue, but there are also shades of green, brown and pink (among others) to be found. Don't worry about trying to be "matchy". It's fine to mix plaids, stripes and small floral prints, as long as the colors compliment each other. Is the predominant color in your focal piece blue? Search for vintage-looking prints that have shades of blue, but allow touches of other colors as well. To save time and possibly money, search online for what you want. Check department store websites and places like Amazon.com and Craigslist. Look on ebay for Holly Hobbie fabric; you may luck out on a vintage set of curtains!
If you can sew (or have a mom/sister/friend who can) you'll be able to customize your bedding and curtains even more. If money is an issue,
Step 3

The major part of the decorating is done at this point. Now you can have fun searching for accents. A few well-placed Holly Hobbie items are all you need to pull the look together. Vintage Holly Hobbie plates are plentiful on ebay and look sweet in a nursery, either hanging on the wall or displayed on a shelf. Other Holly Hobbie items I've seen include small banks, dolls, boxes, framed prints, and many more. If you do a search on ebay you'll be sure to find lots of inspiration. One of my favorite finds was a Holly Hobbie kitchen set from the 1970's, complete with kitchenware. So cute!
Step 4

Finally, custom artwork and murals can give your child's nursery another one-of-a-kind touch. If it's not in your budget to pay a professional, consider asking a talented friend for help. It's not necessary to fill up a whole wall with a huge mural. Even the smallest piece of handmade artwork will be treasured.

Comments

silverymoonart said

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on 5/4/2009 Thanks, sneedc! :-) I actually got the idea from my sister. She has a Holly Hobbie theme in her daughter's nursery and it's adorable. Hmmm... Care Bears... lol