Painting for Pursey

Introductions first.  I'd like you all to meet Pursey Galore.

Hello, Pursey!

Pursey Galore is the centerpiece accessory over at Project: Purse and Boots, an endeavor started by the amazing Lori of In Pursuit of Martha Points.  In a nutshell, the purpose of the project is to parade Pursey on a year long tour across America.  Each stop that the purse makes along the tour earns money that is donated to The American Stroke Association.

When I heard about this project, I was immediately drawn in for a few reasons:

1. Lori writes a hysterically funny story about each stop on the tour, and their adventures with each woman.  Good stuff.
2. It seemed like a great way to raise money for a cause, while at the same time encouraging women to get dolled up for a girl's night out.
3. I was kind of blinded by the bling that is Pursey.  Literally.  That puppy really sparkles!

And so, in honor of this project, this month's giveaway is hosted over at the Project: Purse and Boots website.  The drawing runs through October 27, and the randomly-chosen winner will receive one 16x20" painting of their choice.  Please go check out the site, leave her some comment love, and learn about a great cause in the process.

Be prepared to laugh out loud at some of Lori's stories.  Also, when you stop by, be sure to wear your sunglasses.  Because, like I told you, the purse really sparkles.

Everything's coming up pink and brown roses

The latest artwork, and the last in a line of several pink and brown paintings I have done recently, was this tree-inspired piece for baby Adalynn's Room.  Her room was decorated in the CoCaLo Mia Rose line, and was accented with pink and brown dots, flowers and butterflies.

Pink and brown are definitely the colors for decorating little girl's rooms these days.  And I can see why.  It's quickly becoming one of my favorite color schemes!

***

And, on a completely unrelated note, this weekend, I finally got around to selecting a winner for last month's Le Petit Prince giveaway.  Those of you who were waiting with baited breath... I hope you'll excuse the delay (too many pots on the stove these days).  

Without further ado, congratulations to Danielle, at My Life in Jenga.  You have a message waiting for you, with information on how to claim your paintings!

Giveaway: Le Petit Prince Handpainted Artwork

I finally got around to doing a little spring housecleaning the other day.  I know, it's August, not spring.  I'm a procrastinator.

Anyway, when going through my painting supplies, I stumbled across these lovelies:

I did these a few years ago because I absolutely love Le Petit Prince.  I had intended to give these to some of my friends that were having babies at the time, but we ended up choosing other paintings.  So they've sat in storage, wishing longingly to be hung on a wall.

Won't you give them a good home?

A little about these paintings:  They are handpainted on 16x20" stretched canvas.  The borders on both are a baby blue, with seafoam green polka dots, and a gold trim.  I will repaint the inner and outer borders, if you like, in the colors of your choosing so they coordinate with your little one's room.  You can also see closeups of both paintings here.

You can enter in two easy steps:

1. Become a Facebook fan of Bobo's Room Custom Nursery Artwork, if you're not one already.
2. Come back to this post and leave a comment about which one you'd like.  Depending on the number of entries, I may either split them up, or choose one winner for both of them. 

You can also earn an extra entry by following this blog.  And that's it!  Contest will close on Monday, August 16, at midnight PST.

Varsity lettering for Tobin

 In my ten years of marriage, I've learned more about sports than I ever dreamed possible.  And I had a lot to learn.  Before I met my husband, I actually thought bowl games like the Sugar Bowl, Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl were some sort of super tournament... the winners of which, of course, played in the Superbowl.


While I'm definitely still no expert on sports (as my husband can attest), I've come a long way since then.  ESPN is always on at our house, so I've learned a lot by sheer osmosis.  And so, my latest project was one which I had lots of fodder for.

Inspiration bedding

My latest painting was done for last month's giveaway winner, Tobin's mom.  She asked for a sports-themed painting to coordinate with her little guy's toddler bedding.  We designed this painting that featured his name and various sports balls.

I love the fact that this painting is fun and playful, yet can hopefully transition to an older boy's bedroom as well. 

Enjoy, Tobin... may you dream of touchdowns and goals!

Hellooo Kitty!

My latest project, Mika's Room, was a fun one to do!

Mika's nursery was decorated in shades of pink and chocolate, to coordinate with the pink and brown mod dots bedding by JoJo Designs.  Her parents chose a Hello Kitty theme for their little one's nursery.

To celebrate little Mika's Japanese, Hawaiian and mainland backgrounds, we designed three coordinating paintings.  The first, a kimono-clad Hello Kitty has the Kanji word "love" written across the top.  The second painting has the word "ohana" (Hawaiian for "family") above a luau-themed kitty.  And the third painting has the word "sisters" written above a big and little Hello Kitty, representing Mika and big sister.

Congratulations to Mika's parents, and to the soon-to-be big sister!

And the winner is...

I should have seen it coming.  I have problems merely picking out what I'm going to wear each day, so I should have known I'd have a tough time picking a winner for this month's giveaway.

Let me just say, there were several great ideas and comments that were inspiring for me as an artist.  And I especially loved the comment about the "Bobo's Room cheer"; that would have made my day to hear that one.

I ended up choosing Rachel (sweetpea08) as the winner of a 16x20" custom piece of artwork.  Rachel asked for a sports-themed painting, and since I've never done artwork along those lines, it seemed like a fun new project.  Also, since I am a sports widow every Sunday (and sometimes Monday and Thursday; to say my husband is a sports fanatic would be the understatement of the year), I have plenty of good fodder for this one.  Rachel, I'll be contacting you to get the ball rolling.

Thanks to all those that entered this month's contest!  If you'd like to be informed about future contests, or to receive updates with other inspirational ideas for decorating your little one's room, please feel free to sign up for our RSS feed.

Ideas to inspire: Playroom with daybed storage

Today's inspiration room is a combination playroom and guest room designed by Diane at The Perfectly Imperfect Life.

I've always loved the look of daybeds.  And in a playroom or guest room, where the sleeping area does double duty, they make even more sense.  The little perch shown here would make a perfect sunny spot on which to curl up and read or play games.

This particular daybed also caught my eye, as I love the idea of the extra storage underneath.  The baskets she uses are a fun and colorful way to store toys or art supplies, and low enough that little ones can help pick up.  Getting your kids to actually help pick up their toys... well, that one I don't have any tips for.

The finishing touch on this room is the art wall Diane created using her little ones' creations.  This is a great way to showcase your little Picasso's favorite works, and you can easily swap them out as new masterpieces are brought home from school.  The key to making this wall work is to use similarly colored or styled frames to give the wall a cohesive look.

If you want to see more pictures from the inspiration room, as well as some step-by-step photos of how she created it, hop on over to Diane's blog.

Happy Friday!

Ideas to inspire: A pink and brown modern nursery

In case you've missed it, pink and brown seem to be the "new black" when it comes to decorating baby girl nurseries.  I see it popping up everywhere.

Today's inspiration nursery is a nice illustration of how to do it really well.

Late at night, when I should be sleeping, I sometimes hop around on different parenting blogs.  One I really like is Harper's Happenings, written by a mom named Mandy.  If you haven't checked it out, there are some touching and entertaining reads on there.  And even though the Type-A in me secretly wants to go through and capitalize all of her sentences, I find myself drawn back pretty regularly to her blog.

Anyway, Mandy has some pictures of little Harper's nursery posted on her blog, with some great inspiration ideas.

The pink and brown color combination helps set the stage.  It's feminine and classic, but the taupe on the walls adds a modern, contemporary look that keeps it from being too frilly.

I also like the tree wall decal that adorns one of the corners.  She's hung a little birdcage hook from one of the tree branches, which really completes the look.

My favorite thing, though, is probably the paper lanterns hanging in the corner above the crib.  I imagine most babies would be fascinated by them.  Perhaps they would help them drift off to sleep and dream of giant pink gumballs.  I've written before about using found objects in unexpected places for effect, and this is a great example of that.

If you'd like to see more, you can read the full post as told through Mandy's eyes here.

Enter to win: Custom nursery artwork!

ENTRY IS NOW CLOSED.

OK, folks.  I'm kicking off a new giveaway for this month.  The winner will get a custom 16x20" piece of artwork created by Bobo's Room.

Sound interesting?  Keep reading.
 
You can enter in two easy steps:

1. Become a Facebook fan of Bobo's Room Custom Nursery Artwork, if you're not one already.
2. Come back to this post and leave a comment about what kind of artwork you'd like hanging in your little one's room.  Please give me a few, concise details about what styles, subjects and colors speak to you, so I can get a feel for what look you're going for.

That's all you have to do to enter.  Easy peasy.

It's worth mentioning that this is a completely biased, non-random-drawing contest.  The winner will be chosen based on what sounds interesting to me to paint.  As a commissioned artist, I truly do enjoy working with parents to create all types of artwork, but I rarely get to pick and choose the projects I take on.  Thus, the inspiration for this month's giveaway.

Oh, and if you tweet or Facebook (is that a verb?) about this contest, please leave me an additional comment about it here.  This last step is purely optional, but will earn you big brownie points, and will probably sway my vote a bit if I get a couple of entries I really like.

Hey, I warned you this was biased.

What You'll Get:

• A custom, hand-painted 16x20" piece of artwork for your little one's room.  If your entry is chosen as the winner, I'll send you my contact information, and we'll work together to create something really unique.
• Shipping within the continental U.S. will be included with the painting.  If you live in Timbuktu (literally), or anywhere else outside the lower 48, you're welcome to enter, but I may ask you to help out with shipping a bit, depending on the costs.

Looking for inspiration?  Check out some representative samples of artwork I've done for other rooms here.

Contest entries will close on Friday, June 4.  Good luck!

Wearable art for your tot's tootsies

OK, so I know this is supposed to be a blog about artwork and decorating ideas, but I thought this was worth sharing some "wearable art" you can make for your little ones.

Chip was invited to a one-year birthday party a few months ago.  I figured his little friend probably had enough toys.  (I did contemplate getting a musical drum set for her, but her mom is my friend and I wanted to keep it that way)  I went with the safe route and decided to paint some nice (quiet) shoes instead.

It was actually very easy.

The nice thing about canvas shoes is they come in so many colors.  I chose hi-tops because there's a little more space to work with.  And they're just so darn cute.

For the flowers and dots, I just used acrylic paints you can pick up  pretty cheaply at at any craft store.  You can sketch out a design with pencil first; I just drew this freehand.  For a design like this, you need a pretty small brush, and I went over the design several times to make it "pop."

I also thought it would be fun  to further personalize the shoes by painting her name up the backs.  Good thing she didn't have a long name like my kids; that never would have fit.

When I was done painting, I sprayed the shoes lightly with a couple coats of acrylic sealer.  Word of note:  make sure you spray the sealer outside in a well-ventilated area because it stinks!  Chippy's little friend is not doing a lot of stomping through mud puddles at this point, but hopefully the sealer will help the paint from peeling or rubbing off some.

As a final touch, I switched out the plain white shoelaces with some cute grosgrain ribbon.  Turned out pretty cute, I think.

Is your refrigerator too small?

My refrigerator is literally wallpapered with fingerpainting masterpieces done by Bobo at preschool.  I'm pretty sure there's stainless steel under there somewhere, but it hasn't seen the light of day for quite some time.

As a self-professed packrat, I can't bear to throw any of it away.  But buying a bigger fridge isn't really an option, either.

If you're in the same boat I am, here's a great way to recycle those childhood memories and create some original artwork in the process.

I saw the idea for these adorable animal prints at Sarah Jane Studios.  If you check out her website, she even provides templates to make these cute cut-outs.

Add some hand-printed words (or use stencils if you're penmanship-challenged), a simple frame and voila!  Instant artwork... starring your child.

Ideas to inspire: Modern nursery on a budget

I found this nursery today while dinking around on the internet, and was struck by the colors and bold design. It's modern, crisp and clean, yet it has classic elements like the beadboarding and crib that really anchor the room. I also love the fact that this room has feminine elements, but doesn't scream "girly."

Best part of all: the entire room makeover, including flooring, furniture and decor was done for less than $900. Just proves that good design, some creativity, and a little DIY savvy can stretch a long way.

To view the entire room, plus before and after pictures, click here.

Give the gift of custom artwork while supporting UNICEF's relief efforts

My precocious 3-year-old, "Bobo," has been asking a lot of questions lately about the happenings in Haiti.  It all started when we were watching the news the other day, and she saw a brief segment featuring the devastation that is the reality for the people of Haiti.

Later, my husband and I got to talking about ways to support the recovery efforts, and the seemingly small contribution we could make.  Like many people, we've donated to charity to support the ongoing efforts.  And, in my personal case, I'll rather ashamedly admit that once the donations were made, I carried on with the busy day-to-day life of career, kid-raising and living in my nice comfy home... thoughts of Haiti pushed aside until the news and my preschooler brought them glaringly back to my attention again.  While the budget we set aside for charitable donations is, unfortunately, with limit, what I do have to offer is time (after the munchkins retire for the evening), and a somewhat debatable amount of artistic talent and ideas.

Which brings my ramblings to somewhat of a point:  While clicking around on the internet today, I stumbled upon a link on the UNICEF (United Nations Childrens' Fund) website where they are matching dollar-for-dollar any donations made between now and midnight on March 31, 2010.  If you've been considering buying custom artwork for your nursery or child's room, or are looking for a unique baby gift for an expectant parent, now is the perfect time to act.  I know this is really short notice, folks, but here's the meager deal I'd like to offer up.

Between now and March 31, 2010, I will donate 75% of the purchase price of any orders placed through Bobo's Room to UNICEF (the remaining 25% is what I've calculated will help cover my supplies, PayPal fees, handling materials, etc).  With UNICEF's dollar-for-dollar matching, this means that the equivalent of 150% of anything you purchase will be donated to a worthy cause to help support children in Haiti and other places worldwide.  Custom 8x10" pieces start at just $35, so this is an affordable way to purchase unique artwork for yourself or as a gift, while helping others in need.

Not sure what to get, or are looking to buy for someone else?  Gift certificates can be purchased in any denomination, and are valid one year from the date of purchase.  Simply contact me via the website to get things started.

Idea inspired by Bobo, who (bless her heart) simply can't comprehend that any child would have to go without My Little Ponies, food, clothing, or a warm bed to snuggle in.

Go play in your room... er, I mean your closet!

I only wish I was half as creative (and handy) as this mom, who transformed a corner closet area space into this fantastic playhouse. It not only looks like fun, but is a great way to transform an awkward or empty space into a usable play area.

I especially love roof that doubles as a storage compartment. What a great way to make doubly good use of space!

You can see her step-by-step transformation take place on her blog at Sawdust and paper scraps: Playhouse closet

What's in a name?

I have done lots of paintings that involved animals, but my latest commission illustrates (excuse the pun) a really great way to tie in an animal theme that is truly customized to not only your nursery decor, but your child's name.

Judah's parents contacted me about creating artwork that would be symbolic of the meanings of the first and middle names they had selected for their baby.  For the first painting, they chose a lion and a lamb to represent "Judah".  For the baby's middle name, they wanted an image that would symbolize words such as "counselor", "sage", or "wise."  After a few iterations, we came up with the colorful owl character pictured above.

Judah's parents also customized his paintings one step further, by adding a small reference to the bible verses that were inspirational to them when choosing the name for their baby.

If you're looking to do something similar for your own little one's room, there are tons of websites now that provide the etymology and history behind your baby's name.  One I really like is Nickelodeon's Parents Connect, but there are lots to choose from.  Good luck, and have fun being creative with your ideas!

Ooh la la! French-inspired ideas for the nursery

I love Paris in the springtime... or any other time of the year, for that matter.  While French-inspired clothing and decorating are popular now, there's also something timeless and terribly romantic about French decor.  If you're interested in going francophone with your nursery, here are some theme ideas to get the creative juices flowing:

Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince)

This classic French children's book is a great way to tie a literary element into your child's room. 

• Aim for the stars.  Star or moon print bedding, bumpers or curtains ties in nicely with the theme and can easily be found in a wide range of colors to fit any nursery's scheme. 
• Accessories make the difference!  There are a plethora of sites that offer Le Petit Prince toys, room accessories, and bedding.  Sites like eBay can also be a source for finding those hidden gems.
• Add accents in unexpected places.  These drawer pulls would add the perfect finishing touch to any changing table.
• In this cute inspiration room, the walls were painted with a mural of selected scenes and pictures
• A mural not in your budget?  Consider handpainted artwork featuring the Little Prince.
• If you like this idea, you might also consider incorporating other French childhood friends into your decor, like Babar the elephant.  Madeline is a great choice for little girls.

Shabby Chic, French Style

The room pictured here is so timeless and classic, but is kept fresh and modern by the use of more contemporary colors.  Click here to see more about this featured room.

Some additional ideas for getting that "French flea market" look:

• A lot of cribs and toddler beds come in a distressed or tea-stained finish nowadays.  It can add an antique elegance to your baby's room.
• Experiment with fabric of different patterns and textures.  Mix and match coordinated florals, stripes, plaids and toile patterns to create a unique look.
• A wispy canopy or crown, as shown here, can make a dramatic statement.  You can easily make your own with inexpensive tulle or netting.  Or, for a more tailored look, make a pleated canopy using coordinated fabric of your choice.
• Crystal accents add an instant old world charm.  In the inspiration room above, a crystal chandelier was used.  If you're lucky, you can find a bargain chandelier at estate sales or on websites like Craig's List.  You can achieve a similar effect with crystal accents.  Old crystal buttons, drawer pulls or beaded crystal trim around a lampshade or window treatment can create the perfect finishing touch.
• Give old everyday objects (or, as the French might say, "objet trouvé") a new lease on life in an unexpected place - your nursery.  Keep an eye out for treasures such as globes, finials, flowers, birdcages and the like at garage sales and second hand stores.  Antique frames for black and white or sepia toned prints would be a great way to add vintage character to your room, and have the added bonus of being hung high enough to stay out of the reach of little hands.

Oodles of Poodles

• This inspiration room is beautifully decorated, and should give you some great ideas for getting started. 
• Experiment with bold colors and patterns.  The contrasting light pink and black in the inspiration room are what give it its "wow" effect.  Aqua blue or a light yellow would also create a striking combination.  Bold patterns like stripes or polka dots complete the look.  
• Vinyl wall art, such as the ones shown here, can be an easy and inexpensive way to add Parisian charm to your room.

Details, details, details

Not wanting to go french in the whole room?  Small touches can add that special je ne sais quoi to your nursery.  

• Use wooden letters, boards, or vinyl decals to spell out French words, such as "Bonjour" or "Bonne nuit"
• Fleur-de-lis can add a regal touch to your nursery.  Try it in a border, or painted over a door or window.
• French-inspired canvas paintings from Bobo's Room can be customized in your choice of subject, colors and words to match almost any decor.

An idea to sink your teeth into

The other day, I was working in my office when I heard Chip stirring from him nap.  When I walked into his nursery, he was standing up in his crib, and squeeled happily when he saw me open the door.  I went to change his diaper, and noticed tiny white flecks on his pudgy little lips and cheeks. Thinking it was probably dried milk, I quickly forgot about it... until I went to put him down for bed later in the evening and saw the little teeth marks my darling son had gnawed into the railing of his crib.

I immediately consulted my friend Google on the subject and found that, short of installing a mouth guard on my son (okay, not really an option), the second best alternative was probably a crib rail guard.  There were lots of options in various materials but, being the perpetual cheapskate that I am, I decided to do-it-yourself.

If you have a little woodpecker of your own, and want to protect both their budding teeth and your furniture, you can easily make your own teething rail guard for their crib.  I made this one for Chip's room in about 45 minutes, at a cost of less than $10.

Here's what you'll need to do to make this simple, no-sew rail guard:

1. Measure the length of your crib.  You'll also want to measure the circumference of the rail you want to cover; this will be the height of the fabric you purchase.  To create the ties, you'll want to add an additional 12-16 inches of fabric to the height.
2. For this rail guard, I used two complimentary colors of fleece to match Chip's room.  The double layer of fleece adds a nice amount of padding, and prevents those really determined little ones from chewing through just one layer.  Once you've got your crib dimensions, you'll want to purchase two pieces of fleece that are the length and height you measured in Step 1.
3. In order to prevent your crib guard from being pulled or from slipping off, you'll need to create ties to firmly anchor the guard to the crib.  How often or how wide to make the ties simply depends on how many and how wide apart the slats on your crib are.  Cut two vertical slits on each side of the guard for each tie you want to create, then tie the ends together firmly to finish the look.
4. If necessary, go back and trim off the ends of the ties to a safe length for your baby's crib.