Exciting News: Welcome to Bright Ideas for Moms!

Hello again, wonderful readers!

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve officially taken the plunge and the blog has a new look! I've rebranded from LaurenPaints.com to Bright Ideas for Moms.com! This change reflects my journey in life and my desire to create a space that truly resonates with all of you.

Why the Change?

As many of you know, my blog started as a creative outlet to share my love of painting and DIY projects. While I still adore those things, my experiences as a mom have profoundly shaped my perspective. I wanted to expand the focus of the blog to encompass not just my artistic endeavors, but also the everyday joys, challenges, and creative solutions that come with motherhood. 

The name *Bright Ideas for Moms* embodies my mission: to provide inspiration and support for moms navigating this beautiful (and sometimes chaotic) journey. I believe we can all shine a little brighter together - sharing, supporting, caring as a community of moms.

What to Expect

With this rebranding comes a renewed commitment to delivering content that speaks to your needs. As a reader you can look forward to:

- **Creative Parenting Tips:** Practical advice and innovative ideas to make parenting easier and more enjoyable.

- **Fun DIY Projects:** Engaging crafts and activities that you can do with your kids, fostering creativity and bonding time.

- **Delicious Family Recipes:** Easy, healthy meals that even the pickiest eaters will love.

- **Community Support:** A welcoming space for sharing experiences, asking questions, and connecting with other moms.

I’m incredibly excited about this new chapter and all the possibilities this change will bring. Your support has meant the world to me, and I hope you’ll continue to follow along as Bright Ideas for Moms evolves. We can inspire each other and create a vibrant community that uplifts and empowers all mothers, making this world a brighter, better place together.

Thank you for being a part of this journey! I can’t wait to share more bright ideas with you.

With love,  

Lauren

DIY Girly Haunted House Halloween Decor Craft for Kids to Make

We've been getting crafty around here.

There's just something about Halloween and this time of the year that leaves me feeling inspired! I can't be the only one who loves this time of the year and absolutely can't wait to embrace all things fall! Right?

Are you also excited for spooky season? I know we certainly are stoked to celebrate and my oldest is legit counting down the minutes until it's time to go trick-or-treat! To help pass the time, her and I decided to get crafty this week and make a bunch of adorable new spook-tastic decor for our house! This little girly haunted house project is probably one of the easiest projects we've ever made and great for kids to craft up, almost completely alone (especially if you opt for Elmer's instead of hot glue).

If you're feeling the spirit of the season and you'd like to make your own cute, girly little haunted house, here's the details on how we made ours.

Supplies you'll need:

These Jumbo Popsicle Sticks from Walmart
Orange Paint
This printable I crafted up
Hot glue &/or Elmer's glue
Glitter Paper
Scissors
Beads & Pipe cleaner are optional for "added flair", you could always just use a marker instead!

We started by gluing this beauty together, then cut out all of our cuteness from the printable.

Next, we glued our glitter paper on to the back and painted our house orange.

Finally, we glued down all the little details like my printable pieces, beads, and pipe cleaner. If you decided not to include the optional flair, you could easily just draw on a door!

And just like that, you've got an adorable addition to your Halloween decor! We placed ours just above the front door and it's so perfect!

Are you more of a visual person? Check out this quick tiktok to see how we made the haunted house!

Don't forget to download the FREE printable I made for this project HERE! 

My Favorite Mom Wins with Babbleboxx

 This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx.

Being a mom is the most rewarding thing I've ever experienced, from the grins and giggles to watching them learn something new - every second of taking care of my babies is genuinely a reward. Watching my older kiddo grow into a big girl, talking about boys and giggling with friends is such a special reward and on the other end of the journey of parenthood, watching my sweet baby learn to sit up, hearing that first giggle, and seeing the light in her eyes when she's accomplished something as simple as putting a toy in her mouth is absolutely so special. Being a mom is the most inspiring, rewarding, and awe-worthy thing I've ever done and it's better than I ever could've dreamed.

I'm not going to lie, it's also the most challenging time I've ever had in my life, but they definitely are worth the sleepless nights, changes in my body, and long days full of soothing emotions and fits. It's funny how that works, I feel equally blessed and stressed and I wouldn't have it any other way - being a mom is amazing.

While I'm discussing the amazing parts of motherhood, I thought I'd share some mom wins with you guys - this box from Babbleboxx came stocked full of "wins" I felt were worthy of sharing with y'all on the blog.

We'll start with a product we've been using since our little busy bee was born - CeraVe. This company's mission is to provide therapeutic skin care for everyone, including our sweet little babies! I love that their products offer an exclusive blend of three essential ceramides to mimic our skin's, as well as a revolutionary MVE technology to restore our skin's natural protective barriers, providing our kiddos with the best possible way to clean their bodies without all the bad stuff involved.

The Baby Wash and Shampoo has been sitting bath side since before Holly was born and it cleans her while helping to soothe and protect her skin.

After giving her a CeraVe bath, we love to lather her up with their lotion as well. The CeraVe moisturizing lotion is a lightweight soothing way to make sure her skin has all-day hydration! The best part is that pediatric dermatologist helped to develop the line so I know I'm putting what's recommended on her skin, without a doubt.

Another brand household name for us is Lamaze. We love their toys and have enjoyed raising Delainey to learn and grow through play with their science-backed brand. From cute little stacking rings to fun dollies, I thought I had already scored a majority of the wonderful toys they make- but it turns out I was wrong, Babbleboxx sent us over 3 new Lamaze toys to add to Holly's developmental toy collection and they are truly winners!

Starting with her absolute favorite from Lamaze: The Wacky Giraffe. This little guy makes the whole family giggle with silly sounds with every good whack she gives the table. Holls loves hitting this unique sensory toy into everything and I love that with both ends being nice and soft, it's painless and causes no damage to any surface she whacks. She cracks up with us as we all giggle at her swinging the little guy around - it's truly a hoot! When she sees this little fella, she knows it's time to play!

While we're talking about things that tickle her. The Puffaboo Elephant from Lamaze is truly the cutest way to get her to giggle! From playing peekaboo with his crinkly ears to squeezing it to hear it squeak, it's just adorable - but the best part is when it's squeezed this little elephant blows a tiny puff of air. This little puff is the perfect gentle distraction - making her Puffaboo the perfect toy for her fussy days.

Another toy we run to grab on her fussy days is made by Lamaze as well, it's the Soothing Heart Panda. This little bear friend is soothing and adorable, the perfect mixture for getting Holly to chill. With four different melodies, each with a soothing vibration synced to the rhythm of a resting heartbeat - or press the heart five times and you'll hear the heartbeat! It's such a calming, yet incredible toy and one we love to give her whenever we are winding down before bed time!

Speaking of bed time, we have a baby who loves to go to bed with a full belly. I usually nurse her to sleep and then we sometimes provide her with a little "top off" from a bottle, when she allows for it.  We've tried a handful of different bottles and she isn't so sure about most of them but the Phillips Avent Anti-Colic bottles with Air-Free vents seem to work well for her! These special bottles were designed to reduce feeding issues, colic, gas, and reflux - all of which we've had to battle with Hollyn!

Not only are they great for her, they are easy to clean with less parts and somewhat adjustable since you can adjust the nipple size as baby matures and remove the Air Free vent, if you'd prefer. Honestly, I'm not sure why you would though -  I love that the Air Free vent helps prevent her from "drinking air" because the nipple of the bottle stays full even when she is drinking it at an angle while sitting upright, bringing us both comfort whenever she gets a bottle.

Another way we've learned to comfort her lately is with her new Phillips Avent Soothie Snuggle, we were sent a sloth and it has to be the cutest little lovey I've ever seen! These lightweight plush toys attach to a removable Phillips Avent Pacifier, meaning they can be cleaned without a bunch of hassle.

They also make the cutest accessory while being a comforting little companion for Holls, so it's a win-win! It isn't just a cute little fluffy stuffy though, I love that I'm able to locate her paci much quicker with her little sloth friend attached and that it's made with safe and durable materials so I don't have to worry which part of the toy she decides to soothe herself with while we are in this stage of putting everything in her mouth!

Another item from the Babbleboxx that I know is going to be super durable is our Stonz!

These cool shoes and booties are kid-certified, made for developing little feet, vegan, non-toxic, and offered up with a 365 day warranty! Stonz makes everything from adorable casual shoes to snow booties and mittens, all in a range of sizes - designed to provide comfort to kiddos at any age, in any climate, at any time! 

The Stonz toddler booties we were sent will be the perfect addition to Hollyn's winter outfits, especially when we travel home to finally introduce her to family (hopefully) this winter. Keeping her warm in coziness that stays on those kicking feet will be absolutely necessary. I love that these booties are all-weather wind resistant and they just slide on her little foot, easy peasy! All I have to do is tighten them up with the adjustable toggles and she's good to go!

The other shoe Stonz sent over was their Cruiser. These shoes made my day with how stinkin' adorable they are, I mean who knew baby and toddler footwear could be so cute? These Cruisers are 100% my favorite pair of kicks she owns, with a sweet peachy color and a earth-friendly, sturdy and wearable construction, what's not to love?

We've still got a ways to go until Holly B can walk but I love that these shoes are made with a reinforced heel and are safe for walking, when she's ready. They're also made with a breathable mesh upper and a hi-poly insole, so we won't have to worry about her little shoes stinkin' the place up - they'll be fresh and ready for another wear soon.

Speaking of fresh, I absolutely adore the next product that was sent in my Babbleboxx! T.N. Dickinsons Witch Hazel is game changer and always has been in our home! They make a wide variety of products but two that are amazing post-partum are the T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Hemorrhoidal Pads with Aloe and the T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel 100% Natural Astringent!

The Witch Hazel Hemorrhoidal Pads with Aloe are a lifesaver those first few weeks after a vaginal delivery. Even if you don't suffer from the dreaded pregnancy hemorrhoids, these extra soft pads help soothe vaginal pain as well and can be used daily to help provide relief!

On the other end of their product line is the T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel 100% Natural Astringent! This wildly powerful astringent is actually gentle enough for daily use on your face and body but it does it's job unbelivably well. I use it to help when my skin is especially greasy looking or when I'm trying to fight a blemish before it becomes too bad and love how well it works!

While we're on the topic of things that work well, I think it's time to discuss Oilogic. This company takes the stress out of stressful situations with their solutions-based wellness products. Their products arefree from petroleum, phthalates, parabens, sulfates, gluten, dea, dyes, mineral oil, artificial colors, and synthetic fragrance, but they still get the job done - isn't that impressive?!


The two Oilogic products I was sent were the Oilogic Slumber & Sleep Essential Oil Linen Mist and the Oilogic Stuffy Nose & Cough Essential Oil Vapor Bath - both are lifesavers and total "wins" with Holly!

The Slumber and Sleep Linen Mist is beyond soothing. The natural aromatherapy calms and relaxes us both, while getting Holly ready for bed. I try and spray the blend everyday before I lay her down so she knows to associate the smell with bed/nap time and so far, it seems like it could be working..

The Oilogic Stuffy Nose & Cough Essential Oil Vapor Bath uses the natural power of essential oils to help treat babies not old enough for traditional forms of medicine. It helps stuffy little ones clear their nasal passage and calms little coughs. Both of these Oilogic products are now available nationwide in the baby aisle at Walmart, CVS, buy buy Baby, Amazon and more!

So tell me, what do you consider a "mom win" in your home?

Hollyn's Favorite Baby Toys from VTech Baby!

This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx, regardless all opinions listed below are completely my own.

I feel like Hollyn just came into the world, then I blinked and my baby is now a big, strong three month old. It goes by so quick...

 I'll be real, I'm already kind of missing that sweet newborn stage, but it's so exciting to see her blossoming and learning. She's really coming into herself! I'm cherishing every minute of each stage, knowing she's only little once and watching her recently roll over for the first time was legitimately so exciting. She surprises us daily with new skills and her athletic ability and agility makes tummy time an adventure daily, that's why we are loving all of her VTech® toys lately.

The one toy we've been grabbing for the most lately is the VTech® Kick & Score Playgym. This cute little play mat is the coolest. She's a huge fan because it lights up and plays songs, I'm an even bigger fan because she's learning while she's playing.

The playgym has a little bit of everything to keep my sweet busy bee entertained. From kicking the ball, to playing sounds and familiar phrases, to batting at the fun play pieces nearby the giraffe, she's constantly moving & grooving while chillin' on the Kick & Score mat. I'm able to lay her down on her mat and get a few things done while keeping an eye on her nearby.

It's amazing to see her face light up with excitement when she manages to kick the ball and it's even more fun to see her smiling when she swats at the giraffe toys and hears the rattle of the ball moving. She's so proud of herself and, in turn, I'm so proud of her!

We don't just lay her on her play mat on her back though, we occasionally flip her over and let her use the mat for entertainment during tummy time. It's so amazing to see her face light up seeing a different angle of her favorite toy. She loves seeing the buttons light up and looking around at all the "animal friends" on the toy definitely sparks joy for her!

Even more amazingly, she's starting to wiggle herself around and army crawl a little while laying on the mat, I credit the adorableness of the gym as a source of encouragement for her.

The playgym is not just a toy for babies though, big sister can't wait til Holly is a bit older and they can use the gym as a soccer goal. Until then we look forward to lots of "play" at this stage, for now big sister has been pointing out the numbers on the top of the playgym, playing with the dangling toys while Holly watches. It's fun watching them play together and I love that it's helping Holly strengthen her language skills while they both are exploring the music and songs as a team!

Looking for a great gift for a new baby in your life? Maybe your little one needs a good toy added to their Christmas wishlist? Make sure the VTech® Kick & Score Playgym is on their list this year!

While we are discussing toys, I feel like I need to mention another toy on the top of our list - the VTech® Turn + Learn Ferris Wheel is most definitely a favorite in this house. The way it lights up and sings songs has Hollyn mesmerized and I love that we can use it pretty much anywhere since it's little and attaches to surfaces by a suction cup.

Her face literally lights up when she manages to hit one of her new animal friends and makes the ferris wheel start singing. I imagine we'll be using this toy for years to come at dinner outings, play dates, and beyond.

Speaking of going out on the town, the last toy I want to share with you today but certainly not our least favorite is the VTech® Turtle's Busy Day Soft Book. This adorable little book has a story easy enough for big sister to recite to Hollyn but also has elements to keep them both entertained, from hide-and-seek little puppets to buttons to push to hear songs and phrases, they both are huge fans!

I've been encouraging D to read this to Hollyn while I'm making dinner lately and I love looking over and seeing them both so engaged with a sweet little book.

So, tell me, do your kiddos have a favorite toy? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments!

Reduce Waste and Sip in Style with GoSili

This post may be sponsored, regardless all opinions expressed below are completely my own.

We all know life is better when we learn to adjust and grow, one way we are working on growth in this season of our life (other than growing our family) is learning how to live with less, specifically how to produce less waste. It actually is a simpler task than I originally thought and I love that we are doing our part to hopefully help the planet.

While there's a handful of ways we're trying to cut back on waste, one of the best and most effective ways we've been able to produce less waste is changing some of our kitchenware to GoSili products!

From the Toddler drinking cups for my little pre-k nugget to the Baby bib and silicone teething spoons for our newest addition, I'm super excited to make a change that benefits us all.

The 16oz Silicone to-go cup is Delainey's new favorite, coming in a stunning array of colors - we were gifted the pink and D is obsessed! I'm equally as obsessed since it's non-toxic, eco-friendly, and toddler-squeeze friendly with the embedded stainless-steel ring. Whether she wants a random hot chocolate treat or a refreshing ice-water, I love that I can grab for this cup and it's safe and easy-on-the-environment to use!

Once baby is big enough, I can't wait to teach her how to use cups using GoSili too. With their line of drinking cups and straw tops, I know it'll be a breeze. We tried all kinds of sippies for D and I wish we had known about GoSili and their easily adaptable straw toppers and these amazing little cups!

As I mentioned, they also sent over a bib and teething spoons for baby. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't sure about the bib, since we've never had a silicone bib - but I'm already a huge fan. It's made with the same platinum grade silicone but is made to be so comfortable for baby! It's the perfect bib to fold up and go with us places, especially because it has a little pocket to catch all the little bites that don't make it into babies mouth.

On that note, the teething spoons are definitely going to be a life-saver once baby is starting to teeth! These utensils are made with little nubs for easy gripping, but we all know they are also going to be the perfect texture for babe to soothe her gums! I plan on sticking them in the freezer, thanks to advice from GoSili and can't wait to see what baby thinks of them.

I didn't just change the kiddo's tableware though, I decided to go ahead and upgrade my daily cup to a GoSili cup and I haven't been disappointed. Not only is it "eco-friendly", it's adorable and convenient while also being the best way to make sure I'm staying hydrated enough each and every day as this pregnancy comes to an end.



This women-founded company manufactures and designs silicone tableware products for the whole family and their Silikids products are most definitely a hit in our house. GoSili products make the basics better by bringing an alternative to plastic, allowing the gap to be closed between great design and affordability while improving our quality of life. It's really a win in my book.

Check out their entire collection at www.gosili.com.