From Painted Oak to Sunday Element: A New Season, Same Roots

When we gathered under the trees for our final “Farewell for Now Feast” at Painted Oak Nature School, the air held more than just the scent of wildflowers and night-before-rain—it held memories. Laughter, learning, muddy boots, and stories whispered through "Rambling Pine" needles. Thirteen years of heart-forward work with children and families had brought us here: to the close of one sacred chapter and the quiet emergence of another.

Sunday Element Co. was born in that space between grief and gratitude—a way to honor what had been, and to imagine what could be. It came not as a replacement, but as a return:

to home,

to the elements,

to the slower rhythms that first inspired me to build a nature-based school in the first place.

In truth, the seeds of Sunday Element were sown in every Painted Oaker who learned to greet the day with wonder. In every teacher who trusted the weather as curriculum. In every parent who let go of expectations and leaned into the wild and worthy work of raising a child close to the earth.

Now, I find myself back on the porch with a warm cup in hand, dogs at my feet, heart open to what comes next.

So what is Sunday Element Co.?

At its core, it’s a lifestyle brand rooted in the elemental life—one where earth, water, air, and fire guide us home. It’s part blog, part resource hub, part quiet revolution. A place to reflect, create, preserve, and reconnect. A space for former Painted Oak families to stay tethered, and for new kindreds to gather.

Here, you’ll find:

• Stories and seasonal rituals to slow down your days

• Recipes and remedies that honor the land and your body

• Reflections on parenting, home life, and aging with grace

• A rhythm of living that centers Sunday energy all week long

It’s a space that asks not What should I do today? but How do I want to feel today?

And what about the Painted Oak Project?

Painted Oak Nature School may have closed its doors, but its mission continues—boldly and beautifully—through the Painted Oak Project. This educational arm carries forward the work of getting children (and the adults who raise them) into the wild.

Where Sunday Element Co. focuses on the personal and home-based rituals of elemental living, the Painted Oak Project focuses outward—on consulting, training, and supporting families, educators, and organizations who want to reimagine learning environments and hold onto the magic of childhood for as long as possible.

Together, they form a whole:

• One nurtures the home

• One nurtures the wider world

What connects them is the same unshakable belief:

That when we return to nature, we return to ourselves.

That pace is sacred.

That presence is power.

That Sunday is not just a day—it’s a way of being.

If you were part of the Painted Oak story, this next chapter is for you, too. And if you're new here—welcome. There’s a seat for you on the porch.

With muddy paws 🐾 and a full heart,

Nicole

Sunday Element Co.

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