Winnie the Pooh

THUMBPRINT TREE

My friend contacted me about a Winnie the Pooh themed baby shower for a baby with a nursery of the same theme.  She had this great idea for a thumbprint tree for the shower... 

Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree!

Thumbprint trees are a great alternative to a guest book at showers, weddings and birthday parties!

Instead of signing a book, guests dip their thumbs in green ink and stamp the canvas.  Their thumbprints look like leaves for the tree!   When the ink dries, the guest signs his or her name over their new leaf.

I can't wait to see what this thumbprint tree looks like with all of its leaves!

CUSTOM PAINTING

That same week, another friend contacted me about a custom painting for a pre-teen who loves 

Winnie the Pooh, but is getting older and her tastes in decor are maturing.  

She wanted a painting that will offer some encouraging words that can also grow with her through the years.  

She found this quote by Christopher Robin that every child growing up deserves to know and hear,

and even better, it's perfect for a fan of Winnie the Pooh!

1st Year Custom Painting

Baby Girl Clélie (check out her growth chart here) isn't a baby anymore!!!
This month she celebrated her 1st birthday!  

Her nanny had a great idea for her birthday... a 1st year painting!

She drew up her idea and e-mailed it to me along with a list of everything she wanted included...

Kidspiration:

Customer's hand-drawn vision

Kidspired's Creation!

Mod Dot Nursery

My friend Cristina is about to give birth to her second baby boy any day now!  Our oldest sons became best buds when they were in the same Pre-K class together last year, and now, I have the pleasure of designing her baby's nursery in her new home!  I feel so honored and blessed that she asked me to help her nest because, as you can probably assume, nesting is my favorite part of pregnancy!  It's such an amazing feeling to have the nursery complete right before baby comes.  It makes you feel relaxed and READY!  I am so happy to be a part of that experience for families.

I love the simplicity, yet the boldness of the bedding design.  I went to Cristina's house and drew up a few ideas for wall decor in the nursery.  Together we decided on a plan!  Since her son's name is Daniel, she really wanted a Bible verse about Daniel to hang in his room, but she also wanted to incorporate a few of her favorite verses as well.  Decisions, decisions... well... let's use them all!!!

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
Psalm 4:8

"My God sent his angel and he shut the mouths of the lions.
They have not hurt me because I was found innocent in his sight."
Daniel 6:22

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future..."
Jeremiah 29:11

Since the circle design on the bedding is very symmetrical, I wanted to maintain symmetry by incorporating 6 paintings in a grid pattern.  I also wanted the paintings to stand out so I incorporated different patterns using the same bold colors as the bedding.

The bedding came with two window valences, but the nursery only has one bedroom.  I used the other valence to make simple wall decor using embroidery hoops that I purchased for $1.50 a piece.  The circles from the bedding pattern fit PERFECTLY into the hoops.  This was MAJOR coincidence!

In addition to the circles, this collage also includes sentimental decor.
If placed alone on the wall, the decor would have looked smaller and bare,
but by grouping it together it adds interest and fills an otherwise bare space.

The only thing missing now is a baby!

Who Dat Jerseys

The thing I love best about Kidspired Creations is that it's ALWAYS something new.

There are no limits to creating kidspired decor and no two creations are the same!

And even better, I love CHALLENGES!  

Something different from painting stripes and polka dots.

But when my friend sent me this email...

I wanted two saints jerseys with a personalized name. But the company will only do one. Could u paint something similar with two jerseys with a personalized name?

I kind of doubted my abilities.

However, this is KIDspired Creations and 

I got her permission to use some kidspiration to make this painting...

Did I mention this is a teacher appreciation gift???

Now those are two very special teachers!!!

This customer had the great idea to put the numbers 20 and 12 on the teacher's jerseys to represent the year

(and of course it had to have the school's name on the bottom).

I love using multiple brains to put a project together!

If you have an idea for a project or painting and do not see an example on my blog, 

please feel free to e-mail me and I am sure we can work together to create a great design!

kidspiredcreations@gmail.com

A Little Birdie Nursery

After 9 long months, our precious pink has finally joined our nest of blues!

Meet Lena Marie

Big Brothers, Little Sister

The Kidspired Creations shop is still closed while we attempt to adjust to our new life as a family of FIVE, but for now, I am super excited to FINALLY share the completed nursery with you!  Ever since I first learned I was pregnant with #1, I began to plan both a baby girl and baby boy nursery.  Well, I got to use the baby boy nursery twice, so this nursery has been 5 years in the making!  Enjoy!!!

(I am not a great photographer... I apologize now.)

A very special heirloom:
The crib was given to me by my Grandma Lena when I was a baby.

Ignore the light fixture... it is still a work in progress.
I am waiting to recuperate before climbing on  a ladder.

The armoire and two end tables on either side of the crib
were great garage sale finds:  $40 for all 3 pieces!

Total room makeover:  just under $300.

Here's how it all went down...

Fantastic Finds:

a.  BIRDHOUSES:  On sale at Hobby Lobby for 50% off!!!
b.  BIRD BLANKET:  Gift from Mimi from Pottery Barn Kids
c.  BIRD CAGES:  Antique store find + spray paint
     BRANCHES:  FREE - from a vine that was growing on our back fence; once the leaves fell off, I rescued them from our burn pile before my husband could turn them all to ash
d.  BIRD CAGE SILHOUETTE:  Gift from Aunt Crista from World Market

Re-Purposed Finds:

a.  PICTURE FRAMES turned ARTWORK:  30% off at Kirkland's:  scrapbook paper birds instead of pictures

b.  WOODEN FRAME turned WINDOW:  $13 from the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby!

     LETTERS:  50% off from Hobby Lobby:  wrapped in yarn with hand-made burlap flowers.

c.  1/2 of a WOODEN CHAIR turned SHELF:  Antique store find:  $4!  

Cashier:  "You do realize you're missing most of this chair?"  Why, yes.  Who needs a seat anyway?

d.  BIRD CAGE HOOK turned BOW HOLDER:  30% off at Hobby Lobby; hot glue + 3 ft. of ribbon = bow holder!

Hand Made Touches:

a.  BURLAP ALPHABET:  hand-stitched yarn letters on dark/natural burlap, then spray glued on a piece of cream burlap, hung by a branch found in our back yard

b.  GLIDER COVER:  Thanks to You Tube and several long-distance phone calls to my aunt, I learned to sew.  I recovered this glider that before had a very boy-specific cover.

c.  BLANKET:  Pinterest-inspired

d.  PAINTING:  I painted this months before I was even pregnant.  Perfect painting of a "seasoned tree" giving fruit to a new, spring tree... I think it represents me and my daughter.

e.  BURLAP CURTAINS:  Just cut and hang, pretty much!  The only hand-stitching I did was to re-enforce the holes for the tree branch rod so the burlap wouldn't fall apart there.

f.  BABY BUMPER:  Using the same materials as the blanket, I recovered the boys' old crib bumper to save money.
    PILLOW LETTERS:  Hand-made by my super talented Aunt Barbara (see above [b.]... that's her).

Finishing Touches:

a.  LAMPS:  $14 from Ross - these shades were originally white with the black flower outlines.  Using acrylic paint, I painted inside all the lines.

     BOOK:  Gift from Mimi:  Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids by Sarah

b.  BURLAP BIRD:  Not on sale from Hobby Lobby (I couldn't resist and forgot my coupon)

c.  CHALKBOARD:  This is the same chalk board I used for all of my monthly maternity pictures.

d.  BIRD:  I used scrap material from the glider to make this bird.

e.  TUTU:  Same material as her bedding and blanket.  I made it adjustable for her monthly "Watch Me Grow" pictures

     KNOBS:  50% off from Hobby Lobby - added a cute touch to the armoire, end tables and closet doors.

f.  NESTS:  50% off from Hobby Lobby - perfect for socks balled up to look like bird eggs, and hair accessories

Oh, and P.S., this Mommy and Baby needed the perfect matching accessory to tote around town...

A BURLAP DIAPER BAG!

Made by my dear friend, Jess, of Southern Handmade in Heels!

June Bug

Baby Jeremiah will be making his world debut this June and what better nursery for this little June Bug than a bug-themed room?  I have fallen in LOVE with this Cute as a Bug bedding set by Kidsline!  I love the vibrant colors and all of the adorable bugs!  


Jeremiah's parents came to me with an idea for a painting to hang in his room with the perfect Bible verse from the book of Jeremiah.  How perfect?

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

They also found the perfect storage solution for his nursery and handed it to me to see if I could do anything with it.   Um... of course!  

I cannot WAIT to see how everything looks in his completed nursery! 

Happy Birthday to my MIL!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GAIL/NANA!!!

My mother-in-law requested a Casey-original to hang in her new office!  She has yellow walls and a black, very bulky desk so she wanted something colorful, but that would also tie in the black furniture.  There is one purple picture frame on her desk so far.  I decided a sunset painting would go great in her office... tying in the purple frame, the black desk, and colors that will POP against the pale yellow walls!  And it gave me the opportunity to paint a sunset for the first time!  I love trying new things!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

P.S.  And a HAPPY (belated) 60th BIRTHDAY to my Father in Law, JIM/PAPA!!!  So excited we got to celebrate with you!!!

I Painted Yesterday

Most of the time, I'm a copy cat painter.  I design to match existing decor, so I usually don't choose my own paint colors or design (well, there's a little design element involved).  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE matching bedding, curtains, other wall hangings... I just love making everything in a room look like it all came from the same place together like a bed-in-a-bag, hence my passion for Kidspired Creations. 

Yesterday, however, I pulled out my paintbrushes and actually painted something that I came up with in my own head.  I don't get to do that very often, so here I am, very excited.  I'm kind of sad that it only took me an hour.  Shouldn't great paintings take like decades and stuff?  Well, that's why this isn't GREAT, but I love it... and that's what truly matters.

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.

~Mother Theresa              

I also thought I'd share the first time I picked up a paintbrush to create art for my house.  It was right after I got married 5 years ago and I couldn't find art to match our black futon (left over from my husband's bachelor pad) with red and white button pillows... HA!  These will be finding a new home soon because they don't really go with the decor in my house anymore.

   

FLEUR DE LouISiana

If you live in Louisiana, especially South Louisiana, you are extremely familiar with the "Fleur de Lis" (French for "water flower/lily") because, well, you can't miss it... it's everywhere.  If you are FROM South Louisiana, chances are, you decorate with Fleur de Lys (plural of lis) quite frequently.  Just take a look at my house:

shower curtains, mats, buckets, candles, clocks, wall decor and more!

And I'm not even an extremist.  For one, the fleur de lis symbol is quite pretty... prettier than #, %, or @, for example.  And two, it has become a symbol that represents our cultural identity and history here in South Louisiana.  It was a symbol that gave hope, strength and courage to the people of New Orleans and those homes and families were devastated by Hurricane Katrina.  And the first time that the New Orleans Saints walked back onto the field at the Superdome, proudly wearing their gold helmets with the black fleur de lis, there wasn't a single dry eye to anyone who has ever called New Orleans "home." 

So, it's no surprise that I like to paint fleur de lys.  Here are a few samples of paintings that I have done.  I hope to be painting a lot more soon!

And if you're a teacher, please check out Kidspired Creation's "Fleur de Teach" bulletin boards!

And for more Louisiana flare...

Laissez les bon temps rouler, y'all!

Swamp Baby

I am so super excited that (a) one of my besties is expecting a baby, (b) the nursery theme is a SWAMP (alligators, pelicans, egrets, bald cypress trees... the works!), and (c) I get to help her nest!  I love nesting, preggo or no preggo... I just love assisting in making a nursery ready for the arrival of a new bundle of joy!

I spent a few hours today practicing what is going to be painted on the focus wall of the nursery.  I did two samples, one realistic landscape and one cartoon, for Mommy and Daddy to choose from:

Option 1:

While this one isn't the winner, I now have a new art piece for my living room.

Option 2:  The WINNER:!

I did a lot of this one while holding my 21 month old.  Talk about challenging.