I am extremely thrifty and eco-friendly, but not aesthetically gifted. My friend Loreen, on the other hand, brings an artistic talent to frugal green living that makes it seem like a rich and tasteful adventure. When I saw what Loreen did with what she already had (an old used dresser, a used storybook, and Mod Podge) and a six dollar roll of shelf paper, I was in awe. The best news is that you could also create a gorgeous one of a kind dresser for your baby’s nursery in just a few hours!

In the before pictures you can see that the secondhand dresser didn’t seem to have much potential for becoming the centerpiece of a green nursery. But Loreen, the Martha Stewart of eco-friendly, budget-friendly living, had a vision. She took a much-used copy of Where the Wild Things Are and cut out illustrations and text, adhering them to the dresser with Mod Podge.

While Mod Podge isn’t a heavy duty protectant, it’s totally non-toxic and Loreen notes that if the book decorations get ripped or written on, she can simply get another used copy of the book and put a fresh illustration on top.

Loreen cut out shelf paper polka dots to scatter along the front and then covered the top with a long sheet of the stuff. Since baby will use the dresser top as a changing table, the shelf paper will make it easy to clean. Isn’t it fabulous?

This is just the beginning of a series of posts on Loreen’s creative brilliance. She shows that rather than being a sacrifice, frugal green living can actually help you generate more unique and personal beauty in your home—and your baby’s nursery.  Have you been brave enough to create any unique furniture pieces or crafts for your baby’s nursery?  Please share!