Mess-Free Baby Painting (Perfect Baby Gift!)

Get ready for the easiest gift your baby can make. It’s absolutely perfect- minimal mess, beloved by all, and your baby is HAPPY to do it. In fact, depending on their age, they won’t even know they’re doing anything at all! Let’s backtrack a little bit. Wayyyyy back in February, I needed a Valentine’s Day gift idea for my husband. I wanted it to be something from the baby, and something that he would cherish for years to come. Plus, I knew it had to be simple because we had JUST gotten our puppy, and Hailey was only 4.5 months old. I was overwhelmed but I wanted to make something special for my husband. That’s how this gift came about! I’ve seen lots of these painting projects on Pinterest, but never one with a baby as young as Hailey was! And that’s why I added the extra element of putting it on the floor (in a trash bag!) and letting her jump and leap on it in her bouncer. It’s so easy to do that you’ll be buying paint and canvases by the truckload. I promise!

*This post contains affiliate links

You will need:

Canvas panels 11x14 (here)
Paints (similar here)
Glad Press’n Seal (here)
Large clear trash bag (here)
Newspapers/fliers
Photo Frame (similar here)

Directions:

Measure and cut your Press’n Seal to size. I ended up using two long sheets since it wasn’t wide enough to do one long one. You want to have enough overlap so that paint doesn’t ooze out anywhere! I used the Press’n Seal instead of regular saran wrap because it stuck to the canvas nicely and it wasn’t a total mess to unwrap from the roll. Usually saran wrap seems to get all tangled up- this made it easy, AND the seams stuck together nicely!

Add your paint around the canvas in little globs. Don’t use too much paint or it’ll take forever to dry. Try to use a nice mix of colors that blend well. You can also use metallic paints for added dimension and shine.

Carefully place the saran wrap over the canvas and seal it closed. For this step, you want to make sure that you don’t smush it shut, but just gently fold the saran wrap and seal the edges as tight as you can. Remember, we want the baby to create the art- not you!

Ta-da! See? The artwork is fully intact after I sealed it in the Press’n Seal. That leaves the smushing to Hailey.

Now for the very last “prep step”- place the saran wrapped canvas into a large clear trash bag. A black bag would work in a pinch, but with clear you can see whats happening. If it’s a larger bag like mine was, you can fold it over for added protection and, mostly, to get it out of your way.

Place the canvas under baby and let him/her jump around, crawl, or play like usual. Guide the canvas around so that all parts of it get spread out. I used the bouncer which ensured that worst case, only her feet would get dirty. Luckily nothing got dirty :) When it got down to the very end, I spread the excess paint into the bare corners of the canvas so that it would go all the way to the edges. This also helps to avoid giant globs of paint next to bald spots!

Take the canvas out of the trash bag, and unwrap it carefully. I recommend having a trash bag handy to toss out the Press’n Seal, because it’ll be covered in paint and so will your hands. This is the messiest part of the entire project- well, the only messy part of this project! Don’t say I didn’t warn ya ;) There are no pictures of this step for obvious reasons.

Lay the canvas on the newspapers to dry. If your paint was thick it may take a few hours or even a day, so you’ll want to make this gift ahead of time. If you need it the same day, just use less paint (a lot less!) which will dry faster. But, to make this canvas a true work of art I highly recommend making it about 2 days before and this way it’ll be perfect- and dry!

I gave this gift to my mom and my MIL for mother’s day and they LOVED it!

The gift recipient is sure to love this gift that came directly from your little one! It’s such a great keepsake for moms, dads, grandmas, aunties… everyone! Seriously, everyone will want one of these for their home. It’s truly the greatest gift a baby can give, besides just being their awesome, poopy self!

The Dreamy Baby Photography Course is LIVE!

If you’ve been trying to take better photos of your baby…. have I got the perfect thing for you! I’m creating a baby photography course and it’s now available for pre-sale! I’ve been wanting to launch this for several months now and I am so excited that it’s happening! I’ve been working on baby photography since Hailey was born and I know all mommas want better photos of their babes, so I’ve been taking notes so I can teach my ways to you! I’ll also be answering some FAQ below.

Why did you create this DIY baby photography course?

Great question! When we took Hailey for her newborn photoshoot, it left a lot to be desired. I decided that I wanted to take better photos of her and I wanted to take them more often than just the milestones. So, I started learning more about photography and applying these new skills to taking pictures of the baby!

Will I learn how to take my own newborn photos?

Yes! There’s a module all about newborn photos! I’ll teach you what I learned from taking photos of Hailey plus another newborn session I did! They’re only that tiny once, so it’s important to capture those little details and to do it right the first time.

Do I need a fancy camera, or can I just use my cell phone?

No matter what equipment you’re using, I’ll show you the basic principles that will take your photography to the next level! If you’re using a fancy camera, I’ll teach you how to get off automatic mode so that you can get the very best pictures possible.

Can I get this for a mother’s day or baby shower gift?

Yes! You can either use the person’s email address to send them the course right away, or use yours and update it once you’re ready to give them the gift. It’s really easy to change the email address by going to your account and updating it.

I’m so busy- will I even have time to learn this stuff?

Yes! One of the very first lessons will show you how to find time to watch these videos. Plus, my system is quick and easy so that you’re only taking a few minutes to set up plus how to find the perfect time of day for ideal lighting. Then, you snap pictures for as long as you want! Editing is quick and easy with my method, which I’ll teach you step by step.

That picture up there? It’s a cell phone picture I snapped of Hailey in the moment! Nothing fancy was done when I took it- she just looked cute so I snapped a pic. Then I edited it so that it was well-lit and dreamy. Which picture would you rather have- dark and dreary or bright and airy?! I’ll also add that this course will teach you how to edit your photos WITHOUT those fancy presets that get advertised. Instead of putting a band-aid over your photos, I’ll be teaching you how to take better photos AND how to edit all of them to look amazing.

So, don’t dawdle! Head over now to enroll in the course and start taking better photos of your baby today! The course is affordable and for every sale, I’ll be donating $1 to March of Dimes. If you have any other questions, pop them below and I’ll be sure to answer them ASAP!

Cinco de Mama- Mexican Celebration for Mother's Day

Looking for a way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, or celebrate a mom-to-be? Look no further! This Cinco de Mama Party is a Mexican fiesta without the alcohol. It’s all about food, decor, and crafts! As a pregnant woman, being awkwardly excluded from holidays where everyone around you gets drunk is kinda weird. I know Cinco de Mayo may not be a drinking holiday in every country, but in the USA it’s a celebration of Mexican culture, food, and drinks. As a holiday lover, I hate to pass on any opportunity to celebrate. So, I made my own party that celebrates moms-to-be. 

This party can really easily be converted into a birthday party, baby shower, or even a regular ol’ alcoholic party if you wanted to. The choice is yours! 

*This post contains affiliate links

Since I’m a little tight on cash these days (ya know... saving for a baby) I decided to keep it simple by using all supplies I had at home. That’s right- I only bought two things for this blog post! The papel picado banners from Amazon and the serape wooden tray from Michaels. Well, 3 if you count a box of churros that never made it into the setup but I’ll eat those later- don’t you worry! 

I kept the table extra laid-back and skipped a tablecloth. Instead, I put a table runner down, which had a little fringe- so fun! I added papel picado along the edge of the table and as the backdrop, plus added some paper fans I had saved from a Cinco de Mayo party years ago. Hoarding has it’s good points too sometimes! 

For my tableware, I used some gold plastic plates I had left over from Thanksgiving topped with an aqua blue plate. Each place setting was topped with a mini piñata filled with candy plus a bright pink fork and knife. I foresee lots of eating at this party, so each person got 2 napkins, a cute striped one and a fiesta one filled with piñatas, limes, and cacti. 

Speaking of cacti... I put them everywhere! I have some wire cactus plants that I made along with succulents from around my house (fake as well, because I kill everything) and a cute felt cactus.

For decor, I added my fancy new tray from Michaels (half off!), my marquee light, and some colorful candles. I had to grab my painted skull I got in Mexico, and I added some fake flowers left over from my flower gift box  to add a delicate romantic touch to the table. Overall, I’m in LOVE with this setup. 

Now, let’s talk about food. I’d serve this chicken taco recipe for a crowd because it’s so easy to make and so so SO good! I’ve made it for parties and everyone loves it. Then, add some mexican street corn dip on the side. Mexican street corn is my absolute favorite thing and I’m practically drooling just thinking about it right now. Then, add some easy chips and dip, homemade guac, and churros for dessert. For drinks, I recommend your favorite mocktail or some infused water or sparking water for a healthier choice! I went with strawberries and pineapples for my water. Delish!

And there you have it! A simple Mother’s Day/ Cinco de Mayo party for the women you love. What would you serve at your Cinco de Mama party? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Flower Bridesmaid Proposal Box

It's pretty crazy that I'm getting married in less than 5 months. It feels like just yesterday it was the 90's and I was with my little sister, trying on our mom's wedding dress. We would sneak it out of the closet and take turns wearing it. We'd talk about our wedding day and how of course we would be each other's maid of honor. And now that day is almost here and I just can't believe it. Yesterday in my wedding planning update, I mentioned that I had (finally) asked my sister to be my maid of honor with a pretty box I made for her. I decided to document the steps I took to create it, plus I added some links to the products I used (and similar ones) so that you can make them for your bridesmaids too! These boxes are pretty easy to make, and don't require too many supplies. All you really need is a box, a glue gun, some flowers and some decorative tape. Let's get started!

You Will Need:

White Photo Box (similar here)
Glue Gun (similar here)
Fake Flowers (similar here and here)
Pink Duct Tape (similar here)
Scissors (here)
 

Filled With:

Fashion Emergency Kit (here)
Cute Card (similar here)
Maid of Honor Tank (similar here)
Mini Hairspray (here)
Monogram Wood Gift Tag (here)
Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco (here)
Color Swatches (here)

1. Take your flowers off the stems, and save a few of the leaves for later. I picked the brightest leaves to save.

2. Using your scissors, cut the little stems off your flowers to make them as flat as you can. This will make them easier to glue onto your box.

3. Using your glue gun, glue the flowers onto the lid. I mixed the smaller and larger flowers, as well as the different shades of pink. Try to fit them together as well as you can, like some sort of floral tetris.

4. Using the leaves, fill in any gaps. I wanted my box to be mostly flowers so I didn't use too many leaves, but you can put as many as you want. I recommend placing all the leaves in, taking a look to see if you like the look, then gluing them in.

5. Using your tape, wrap the perimeter of the lid to create a nice, neat edge with a pop of color. I used 4 smaller pieces of tape, one for each side, to ensure it would be nice and smooth. Then, take some tape and fold it over itself to fill the label. I used a sticker that said "party" that I found at Michael's.

Filling the box:

To dress up your Prosecco, take a piece of ribbon and wrap it around the neck of the bottle. Glue a flower onto it for decor. Sign your card with a loving and heartfelt note, and place your items inside the box.

Then, give it to your bridesmaids and maid of honor! My sister was pretty happy, since she didn't think I would be officially asking her in a cutesy way. It made me so happy to watch her open the box and see all her reactions as she pulled each item out.

WOOHOO! I now officially have a maid of honor. Now, onto the other 35687 things on my to-do list.

How would you use this box? For a bridesmaid proposal, to hold a birthday gift, maybe for your mom on mother's day?! There are so many possible uses! Are you doing a bridesmaid proposal box? What will you put inside? Let me know in the comments below!