Nursery Decor Giveaway

Hello readers,

I recently created a cute crocodile for Penelope over at Penelope's Oasis, and she loved it! Check out her blog and enter the giveaway for your chance to win an 8x10 baby name piece made by me. You really want one, trust me ;)   She also has some info on some discounts I'm offering on gift certificates, etc. (Great for baby shower presents!).

So don't mind my shameless plug, and I hope you'll take advantage of this opportunity.

Tomorrow's Wholesome Wednesday: Spinach!

Musing on Home Decor

The sun is shining, my sweater (or two or three) has been removed, and my sewing machine wants me to give him some attention.

A recent post of mine gave some examples of the Baby Name Wall Art that i do. I'm hoping to start working on some kids bedding ideas that can correspond with the art pieces and bring greater dimension to my work and to the loveliness of a child's nursery.

I have found some very cute pieces at this website, that is pretty reasonably priced and has some great decorating ideas. They even have some eco-friendly products available.

If you're looking to decorate your whole nursery, those links are really great resources for some fun stuff. I use the site to tap into their ideas, become more familiar with the market,  and brainstorm personalized items to coordinate with existing bedding and the art folks purchase from me = creativity catalysis.

The image above shows my first attempt at applique. I believe my husband said "I like how it looks roughly done" hmmmmm. I guess i have some practicing to do, haha. So i'll keep up the practice. I'm getting some good ideas. I welcome any ideas from you guys, or if you have purchased a baby name piece from me - let me know if you'd like to be a guinea pig for some matching bedding.  I made some herbal grain pillows this holiday season for myself and my MIL ( you heat them in the microwave and use as a relaxing heating pad ), so i think i will post a "how to" on those very soon, and practice decorating them with my fancy new stitches.

Do you have kiddos? What is your (or their) favorite bedding/decor item in their nursery/room?

Personalized Baby Name Gifts, Custom Nursery Decor, by ME.

Today i take a moment to shamelessly plug the career side of my life. I love experimenting in the garden and kitchen all day long, but i would like to be spending a bit more productive time in the studio as well.

As you know, i am a children's book illustrator with several fun books and magazine spots under my belt. You may not know that I also sell custom fine art to folks looking for a unique and special gift, or personalized artwork for their own home. Lately I have been focusing on cute, baby name pieces that are great to hang in the nursery or over the changing table - purchased by parents for their own home or as gifts for friends and family.  Each piece is entirely custom designed for each and every client: featuring a baby's name in bold letters paired up with an animal who shares the same first letter (or anything my clients prefer). No two pieces are alike, and I always send preliminary sketches to my clients for approval before mailing out final artwork. Art is shipped unframed within days of order.

More samples of both my published work and fine art gifts can be seen on my website.

Today, I am very excited to announce that now I am also offering an easy and secure PayPal option for folks looking to order Baby Name pieces from my site. Check out the News section of my site for all the details.

There is a great drop down menu for paper options and text fields to enter in the child in question's name. I have also posted a gift certificate option, perfect when you're buying a baby shower gift and you're not sure what baby's name will be.

Folks really love these pieces:

"Oh wow, I love it! You are quick and clever! I actually got a little teary-eyed when I saw it, so sweet! " -Betsy K. in Eugene, OR
"Whoo Hoo. I love it. Thanks again, it's the perfect gift." - Mike G. in Banks, OR

I would be deeply grateful if you could tell your friends, or share my site with folks you think would be interested. These pieces are great as gifts, and are also a wonderful choice for your own nursery. I can of course customize pieces for older children and even pets as well: the possibilities are truly endless.

Size

5x7 $35.00 8x10 $50.00 11 x 14 $100.00

Paper Color Preference

No Preference Slate Blue Rose Pink Flannel Yellow Textured White

Please enter child's name:

Enter animal (optional) :

So please visit the site today, tell a friend, and maybe even place an order with the PayPal button above. Feel free to leave me a comment here or on my news section at the other site with any feedback or opinions.

My clients are my favorite people: they give me an excuse to draw cute and fun things, and help to pay the mortgage on my little Austin Homestead.