Happy Friday! It’s been a busy week, and I’m excited to introduce a new series: Feature Friday With Family And Friends. I have so many talented family members and friends who are always cooking up something delicious, tackling creative DIY projects, or hosting fun events. With this series I’ll showcase their projects and talents—sometimes I’ll be hands-on, other times the spotlight will be entirely on them. Many of these folks don’t have blogs, so this is a fun way to share the creative things I get to see.
Today is the first Feature Friday post. If you read regularly, you might remember my recent visit with friends in the Bootheel. During that trip we worked on a DIY project I didn’t share earlier because the news hadn’t been announced yet. Now I can show it: one of my best friends, Jessica (Jess or Jessie), is pregnant! She’s expecting in October, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.
I had the pleasure of throwing Jess a baby shower for her first child—a Mickey Mouse–themed celebration you can read about on my site. When she told me she was pregnant again, I immediately offered to host another party. Jess said she thought you weren’t supposed to have a shower for a second baby and that you should have a “sprinkle” instead. I say any excuse for a celebration is a good one—sprinkle or shower, she’s getting a party to welcome this new little one.
While we were together, we brainstormed how to announce the pregnancy. We scrolled through Pinterest and found the perfect idea: a chalkboard announcement with the big brother holding the sign. We headed to Jo-Ann’s for supplies, but found pre-made chalkboards there instead of having to build one from scratch. We picked up acrylic paint, foam brushes, and chalk and got to work.
To protect the board, we started by applying painter’s tape around the edges of the chalkboard where we didn’t want paint to go. That made it simple to create a clean painted frame without worrying about getting acrylic on the chalk surface.
Next we painted the wooden frame with the acrylic paint, giving it a fresh, finished look that complemented the chalkboard face.
Once the paint dried, it was time to add the announcement using chalk. Hand-lettering on chalk can be tricky, but the effect is charming and personal. If your handwriting isn’t perfect, that’s okay—the focus will shift to the child holding the sign and the joyful message.
Here’s the final result with Mason proudly showing off the chalkboard announcement. He’s adorable and looks so proud to be the big brother. Moments like this make these little DIY projects feel extra special.
I’m so happy for Jess and her family and can’t wait to see what the future holds for them. If you have thoughts about hosting a full baby shower versus a smaller sprinkle, I’d love to hear your opinion. Be sure to follow along with Easy Peasy to see how this upcoming celebration comes together.