Event | Woodland Themed Baby Shower

A couple of friends and I threw a woodland themed baby shower for one of our great friends! Here are a few pictures from the shower. This was the perfect theme for her shower, she and her husband love the outdoors, you can always find them camping, hiking or on a new adventure in the wilderness! 

{Click here to check out a cute Sweet Beginnings Bridal Shower}

Decorations were so easy but so cute! I made pendant banners out of brown paper and cut the words out with my mother-in-laws Cricut machine! I also bought a roll of twine from Hobby Lobby with the 40% off coupon! I also made my own white tissue paper pom poms in two different sizes and hung them with string from the ceiling.

Our food menu consisted of Chicken Salad Croissants, Chips and Salsa with Guacamole, Spinach Cashew Salad, Bow Tie Pasta Salad, Fruit Kabobs, and a delicious Grape Ginger Ale drink. A huge thanks to Jodee and Candace for making most of the food, everything was delicious!

We decided to go the a dessert/candy bar for refreshments, because the more desserts the better of course! We had cupcakes, donut holes, Smores' Chex Mix, nuts, and variety of neutral colored candies! A few recipes are listed below, just scroll down!

This cake Jodee had made from one of her neighbors was absolutely amazing! We had her put the carved V on the front for the soon to be baby Von.

I made the most soft a delicious chocolate cupcakes with an almond frosting! Sincerely Sender made the adorable Woodland Animal Toppers.

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. coca
1 Cup water
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Cup Mayonnaise
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda and cocoa. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat sugar, mayonnaise, water and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Pour batter into cupcake cups and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Frost and enjoy!

This Smores' Chex Mix is not only delicious, it absolutely so easy to make! It went perfectly with the woodland theme! There are a bunch of different recipes online, I kind of modified some that I found. Here is how I made this!

Smores' Chex Mix Recipe

Golden Graham Cereal

Chex Mix Cereal

White Chocolate Chips

Semi-Sweet or Milk Chocolate Chips

Mini Marshmallows

Mini Chocolate Chips

Spread out the Golden Grahams and Chex of your choice on a cookie sheet. I lined mine with parchment paper, less mess! Melt the white chocolate chips and chocolate chips, I use the double boiler method. Once melted drizzle all over the cereals on the cookie sheet. (I put my melted chocolate in 2 different ziplock bags and then cut a hole in the corner. It worked perfectly!) Before the chocolate chip drizzle dries, sprinkle the Mini Chocolate chips and Marshmallows so they stick. Once dry break into pieces and enjoy!

Who's Who Wednesday | Jumping Jack Baby Boutique

Warning... This story is a tear jerker.
I stumbled upon Jumping Jack Jack while I was searching on Etsy. Not only did all of Sarah's products catch my eye, from her darling headbands and bows to bright colored prints, but then I started to read the shop announcement and the first line caught my eye. "This shop was created in honor of our son Jack. He was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at just 6 weeks." 

Right then I knew I wanted to learn more. Here is what Sarah had to say about her shop and her sweet boy Jack. You can find Jumping Jack on Etsy and Facebook you can also follow her on Instagram @jumpingjackbabyboutique.

"I have always loved crafting; creativity is a part of me. When my husband and I found out we were pregnant with our first, we were beyond overjoyed. I immediately began creating his custom nursery full of handmade items.  We dreamed of the beautiful future with our baby boy. The day I held him in my arms for the first time, was the best day of my life. We named him Jack.

After his birth, we started to notice Jack could not move his muscles like he should. He never held his head up, or moved his legs. After a week stay in the hospital, Jack was diagnosed with the #1 genetic killer of children under 2, Spinal Muscular Atrophy or SMA. We were told he had the most severe type and had just 6 months to live. Six months. Our world fell apart. We were going to lose the person we loved most.

Jack required multiple machines to stay comfortable, he needed to be fed through a feeding tube, and was on oxygen. Since he was unable to lift or use most toys made for babies his age, I decided to make him a small tag blanket that had crinkle material inside for him to explore. He loved it! From that moment, I continued to create more tag blankets and crinkle toys. I opened my Etsy shop a month after Jack’s diagnosis. I named it Jumping Jack in his honor. Crafting was very therapeutic to me during the horrible roller coaster we were on. Jack took his last breath in my arms when he was just 6 ½ months old. We made unforgettable memories each day. We are so lucky to have had this beautiful boy a part of our lives, but would have given anything to watch him grow up. He is truly the strongest person I know. 

Today, Jumping Jack has evolved into much more. We were blessed with a healthy baby girl named Melia Jack. She has brought so much joy into our lives. She also inspired a new shop section – Headbands and Bows! I love that Jumping Jack Baby Boutique will always a part of him and I. I love that each item I make brings joy to other little ones. I love that Jack’s story can inspire others to live each day to the very fullest."

Jumping Jack Baby Boutique has some great deals being featured on A Painted Nest! Head on over and support them! Get their darling nursery or playroom prints for only $4.99 or take a look at their {Painted} Nest Necklace Pendants they are only $7.99 and you can choose from 9 different colors!

***If you would like more information about SMA please visit www.thegsf.org or watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osPYUVGB_aw***

Photography | Baby Announcement

Our new addition announcement, with a big help from my adorable boy Buster!

I was trying to think of some cute ways to make our announcement to everyone... so with a huge help from amazing photographer and friend Jen Herem Photography this is what we came up with! Let me know what you think! We would love to hear how you have made your announcements too!

P.S. It's A Boy!

*** Photos are owned by A Painted Nest and Jen Herem Photography. If used on your own site please credit both. ***

Custom Order | Cutest Little Thing

 I don't know about you but I am thinking this is one of the cutest pictures I have seen! This chair, if you even noticed the chair, was a custom order I finished a couple weeks ago. It was refinished in pink for these sweet 1 year old pictures! I didn't have time to get a good picture so I waited until these pictures were done, which are much better than any I could have taken.

Custom Order | White Nursery Bookshelf

I love this transformation! It started out as an ugly orange shelf with a lot of potential (and of course I didn't get a before picture, sorry). I painted it white, distressed a little, and sprayed with a protective coat of poly! This is perfect for the little girls nursery it is going in!

Home Project | Baby Nursery

I have finally completed my son's room... it has only taken me 7 months... better late than never I guess!  The last piece I needed was a toy box to store all of his, and I mean many, toys. He is one spoiled boy!

Here are some pictures... on a side note I have to tell you about the paint on his wall! And yes I painted it myself! I was very happy, it turned out better than I ever could have imagined. First, I painted the wall white, then I measured the wall and divided it into sections and taped them all off. (make sure you use Frog Tape, which can be found at Home Depot for around $8.00)
It looks like this...

It makes for straighter edges and I think it is easier to work with! Once it was all taped off I started painting! Here is the final product!

 I found his toy box at an estate sale a couple months ago. It was actually about this same color, which I thought was perfect. I just gave it a good sand and distressed it a little more, then I used a rag and touched the whole thing up by rubbing on a walnut brown stain. I love how it looks!

Custom Order | Cream Distressed High Chair

This is a custom refinished high chair! I painted it cream, distressed it, and then sprayed it with a protective coat of poly.

I made a bow that is tan and cream to tie the little girl in! It turned out darling, it is perfect for little Drew!!!