Bert, the boys and I traveled to New York this month to visit our families and celebrate my sister Kelly’s baby shower. She decided on a white and gray color scheme for her baby boy, Joseph Liam’s nursery. A sweet little elephant bedding set from Pottery Barn was chosen and that was my starting point for creating the artwork for my nephew’s nursery.

Below are my pencil sketches and the first layers of paint through the final artwork.

I glued patterned scrapbook paper for the elephants ears and the balloons. The colors and outlines of the elephants were pretty heavy handed at first.

I knew I needed to go lighter so, I painted the elephants white and lightened the outlines as well as began lightening up the blue background. For Joseph Liam’s name banner I picked up wooden letters at the hobby store, glued them to the canvas and painted everything white. I have to thank Pinterest for this beauty of an idea. I pinned a similar letter piece a couple years ago and that was the perfect inspiration for this project! I first painted with acrylic paint but, after a few coats of white it wasn’t feeling bright white enough for me. I decided to try white spray paint instead. The paint covered the surface much quicker, easier and brighter with the spray paint.

Final three pieces of artwork. The colors and outlines are much softer overall. The little stitching detail on the ears and balloons adds the right amount of handmade sweetness to these little guys. I worked to match the Pottery Barn pattern as best I could with a little of me thrown in (mostly in the addition of a little color).

My sister opening her gift from me. It was one of the few surprises I was able to get by her as she was “in the know” about everything! The second shower picture is of me, my sisters Kelly and Katie and my Mom. Kelly definitely got my mother’s gift of creating beautiful spaces. She has done a fabulous job of turning the baby’s room into a beautiful nursery and I’m so happy to be able to create artwork for her little boy. I can’t wait to meet my nephew!