Nested

Custom Oil Paintings of your Wee Ones

If you have ever considered commissioning a custom oil painting of your child, you may have been discouraged by either the price or by the process. And because there are hundreds of custom oil painting services online -- with many questionable in quality and work standards -- choosing a service is often more difficult than choosing the photograph to have painted.

In our case, we were quite pleased by the experience we had with Master Arts on Canvas. In October, shortly after the birth of Penelope, we were contacted by Nested reader, Jane, who is the owner of Master Arts on Canvas. She asked if we'd be interested in commissioning a painting of Penelope and then reviewing the work.

The process was quite simple: We selected a photograph to have painted (a close-up works best) and the painting begins. Along the way, we were contacted about decisions that were to be made (for example, did we approve of how the photograph was to be cropped). Finally, when the painting was ready to be proofed, a photograph of the work was sent via email. If we wanted changes, then they would make them. If it was okay, the painting would be stretched and dried. We were happy with the painting and so no changes were requested.

We received the art a couple weeks later and were delighted by the results. Everything about the painting was polished, from the stretching to the work itself. The painting captured the photograph, but was clearly a painting.  

The oil portraits of single subjects start at $142.95, inclusive of shipping. Our art was stretched, which is an additional fee. The standard delivery method is canvas, rolled in a tube and ready for framing.

The only downside -- looking at the art now -- is that we commissioned a painting based on a photo of a four-day old baby. And, as much as we love our little one, newborns are kind of weird looking. Of course, this isn't any fault of Master Arts. It's just a pro tip from us: pick your photo wisely!

If you're looking for a great father's day gift or just some art for yourself, then we highly recommend the folks at Master Arts on Canvas. 

Jane has provided Nested readers with a 10% off discount from now until June 30, 2008. Just use the voucher code "nested."

Capsule Design Festival

If you're in the Bay Area and looking to do some serious craft/design shopping today, be sure to check out the Capsule Design Festival in Hayes Valley Park. Over 150 booths of merchandise will be there -- including twenty designers specializing in children and baby-related items.

We'll definitely be there and will report back on any goods you need to check out.

On this Day: Denim!

We're starting a new daily feature here on Nested. We'd like think of it as a history lesson made a little sweeter with a wee bit of shopping thrown in. First, we'll pick an event that occurred on this day in history and then pick out a few neat things we've found on the web related to said event. So let's begin!

On May 20th 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a U.S. patent for blue jeans with copper rivets.

Nested recognizes this achievement with a couple cute denim finds:

Kimono Booties: Black and White Denim. Etsy, $18.00

"These adorable kimono style booties are sized for babies from 3-9 months old. They are crafted of textured black and white denim and lined in soft white flannel."

Red White Blue Patriotic 4th of July Stars and Stripes Tutu Overall Dress, Etsy, $26.50

"Girly girl tulle tutu is sewn to the front of the embellished denim recycled Baby G*P dress.

Mrs. Fish Craft Smock/Apron. Etsy, $28.00

"The smock is made of a durable denim material and is trimmed in red. It has an embroidered fun fish design on one of the front pockets."

A Starter Treehouse

What child doesn't want a treehouse? Actually, strike that. They usually don't want one, (cue up the big whine) they need one. According to an informal poll Nested conducted (by informal, we mean we asked a couple friends), nobody they knew growing up actually had a treehouse -- they were something of film and television. But we all wanted one.

Now that we're parents, we know why mom and dad always said no -- these suckers seem impossible to build. Let alone the actual possibility that your treehouse is prone to attack.

The next your child (or your inner child) wants a treehouse, consider starting at a little smaller scale. This hand-crafted wood treehouse is a bit more Swiss Family Robinson than backyard hangout, but we think that adds to the charm. While older kids may be bummed that they can't hide inside, younger ones will have hours of fun playing with the pulley, crane and rope ladder.  Back to Basics Toys, $159.99

Ten Baby Products We Couldn't Live Without

Nested returning to the airwaves (so to speak) means that our daily email newsletter is back as well. The tell-tale sign for us that the email is being sent out successfully: The number of automated Out-of-the-Office replies that popped up in our inbox. The neat part of these automated replies is the reason behind them -- women planning and being on maternity leave!

So for all those new moms (and moms-to-be) out there, we present our list of Ten Baby Products We Couldn't Live Without.

Mustela Diaper Wipes
The redness down south doesn't always mean diaper rash. Just switching diaper wipes can do the trick of reducing redness. In our house, the switch to Mustela Wipes made all the difference in the world. For $10 a pack, they're a bit pricey. Tushies, a cheaper alternative to Mustela, seems to work almost as well (not as wet though).

BinkLink pacifier clip
When you're finally ready to bite the bullet and look nipple confusion straight in the eye, you'll need something to keep that pacifier somehow connected to your baby. We love the BinkLink because it is not only a piece of baby jewelry that always makes people smiles, but its sturdy construction puts parents at ease.

PB Teen Personalized Wall Mural

Want to see your baby's sweet little face in a format writ large? Or maybe you just have a huge blank wall that you've been meaning to fill.

Intended for teens but surely adaptable for little kids and babies (or even just for your own space), PB Teen sells 6 x 4 personalized wall murals created from your own photos. The murals are printed on canvas from a photo that you have uploaded to the site and sell for $199.

Just don't let the exposure go to your little one's head.

Goods from Townmouse

It's always inspiring to hear stories about mothers who have started businesses alongside raising their families (and out of the home). Even better is when they're documenting and sharing their adventures on their blogs. Kristine from Townmouse wrote in to point us to both her online shop and her blog that provides background on running the business. And talk about ambitious: she launched Townmouse in the same month her second son was born (that was 5 1/2 years ago)!

Now with three children, she's even busier. However, being a busy mom certainly hasn't hurt her sense of style and taste. While her entire shop conveys an old-fashioned appreciation of florals and classic design, we were drawn to her crèche bags -- bags great for small children to "take to daycare, or a ballet lesson, or a sleepover, or on a plane trip." The bags come in medium and large sizes and in a bunch of fabric combos. They range from $99 to $108 (based on size). The best part is that they'll be personalized with your little one's name.

Zid Zid Poofs

It may be a while before your kids get a chance to travel to Marrakech, but that shouldn't stop them from lounging around the house in Moroccan style. Zid Zid, a business operating out of Morocco and the United States offers these "Mini Poofs" for lounging, sitting, crawling and most everything else a tot would do with a cushion. The artisan approach to the poofs captures the spirit of handmade Moroccan crafts with a child-centric design sensibility. We absolutely love the bird poof and elephant poof. Poofs are $78 and available at a variety of online boutiques, including Arte Bebe, Design Public and Modern Mini.

Wall Stickers by dVider

You can't blame us for not trying to be thorough when it comes to exposing Nested's readers to wall decals/sticker options. The other day we highlighted Blik's Threadless collection and today we want to call stickers by dVider to your attention.

The collection of stickers over at dVider is vast, with categories ranging from nature to kids. The stickers are removable vinyl and each design comes in 12 different colors.  The best part is that the stickers are very affordable and most options range in the $20-$35 range. Installation of the stickers appears to be a breeze -- the hardest part will be choosing the perfect image (we like the less is more approach).

Hold On to Those Pacifiers

Whether you call them pacifiers or binkys, these little suckers are bound to get dropped, dirty and discarded. Here are two businesses determined to help solve that problem in a fun way.

From Lili Tutu on Etsy comes "Don't Give Me No Lip Paci Clips," custom clips ($13.50) that can be used to hold pacifier clips or really anything you want to attach to the baby. They're customizable, so you can choose your fabric for the button clip and for $3 extra include monogramming.

Another choice for pacifier clips is from Bink Link, a mom and pop company that wanted to create a product that met the safety standards that all new parents are obsessed in their baby supplies meeting. Lead-free paint, machine testing and adorable peas and carrots. Sounds good to us.