How To Fill Your House with Treasures

I have been coming back to this verse a lot lately.  We've been making some small improvements around the house lately, but I'm also still working on finding happiness and contentment right where I am.  Don't get me wrong, I love decorating!  But I also know that's not how I am going to find peace or joy or lasting beauty.

But how awesome! I can fill my home with treasures simply by seeking God's wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.  Now that's a decorating tip for the ages.

Our Weekend

We got outside quite a bit this weekend, which I consider a victory any time it happens in February.

Speaking of victories, my son had his first soccer game ever on Saturday, and even though they were crushed by a younger and smaller team, we consider it a victory in the name of learning the game.  And sportsmanship.  And most of all, having fun.

Biggest also filled up his marble jar this week, and the prize he drew at random was "To Go Exploring Somewhere New!"  So off we went into a small bit of wilderness on Sunday, and had a great adventure.

It was a brisk, pretty winter day, with just the earliest signs of spring.

Beautiful.  We even discovered a stream, which my boys named "Skeleton Stream."  That's boys for ya.  Like I said, beautiful.

Specimen Art

Mom was off work yesterday, so she and I took the boys to a local museum to see the bug exhibit.  Why do boys love bugs so much?  But I have to admit, even I found something to like...

The butterflies were stunning, especially the amazing variety in sizes and colors.  I even found some beetles to like:

Nah, actually I hate beetles.  But loved those metallic colors!  The whole thing got me thinking about all the specimen art I have seen floating around on blogs.  Beautiful work like this:

Source: Ali Edwards

Source: Midwestern Sewing Girl

Source: Craftberry Bush

And, of course, there are the seasonal versions:

Source: Tatertots & Jello

Source: Racks and Mooby

Source: Flamingo Toes

Oh, that last one is right on time!  I'm feeling inspired.  What about you...have you made any sweet specimen art?  If you have, leave me a comment and brag on yourself, I would love to see what you've done.

Happy {Love} Day

Truth be told, I don't decorate for today, but I do bake for it!  May your day be just as sweet as my "heart-shaped" cupcakes were!

Wall Art Bonanza

I've been in a bit of a crafting frenzy lately.  Most of it has been stuff to put on walls, which is fortunate since I happen to have some.  Walls, that is.  And so, it seems, do my friends!  So, a couple weeks ago my girlfriend and I worked together to make this fabulousness:

We followed Cheri's awesome tutorial on how to make it (for less than $10!) which I found via Lemonade Makin' Mama.  Follow these girls' advice and you will not be disappointed.  In fact, we loved 'em so much we made three!

What else have I been doing?  Oh yeah, I took this deeply discounted corkboard from HomeGoods:

...and turned it into my favorite thing ever:

This guy is huge, and lovely, and made me renew my vows with chalk paint.

Just yesterday I tried my hand at those awesome faux-zinc letters you've seen all over Pinterest:

I'm doing these in all our initials to adorn yet another Pinterest-inspired project.  More on that later.

And, in the meantime, I have been doing some of my monogram artwork to give to the new babies in my life:

You may also remember this one from ages ago that was for a little girl:



These monograms might be my favorite project of all.  I'd love to hear what you think about them...a friend told me I should sell them on etsy...what do you think?  What would you expect to pay for one?  Because I clearly need more projects, right!?!

Music Room Reveal!

When we decided not to move, I immediately (like, that very minute) started thinking of all the things I would be changing in my house. So, within moments I returned to my vision of creating a musical family room.  (In case you're new here, it's been almost a year since I decided to turn my Dining Room into a Music Room, and my design dilemma was featured over at a Delightful Design).

Well, life happens.  My dining room had to return to its normal state when we listed our house, because potential buyers like dining rooms.  Having lived with it again, I've decided I love it and want to keep it. Not to mention, it is the perfect place to play with all those Legos Santa brought:

So...my gaze traveled across the foyer to my home office, and I realized it had to go.  No one ever went in there (we use another computer elsewhere and we got a wireless printer when our old printer broke).  Not to mention, the room was just too dark and cramped and ugh.  This is what it used to look like:

Wow.  What a terrible picture.  Sorry.  I took a decent "before" picture but it disappeared into Neverland or somewhere.  But you can see my old furnishings and the blue paint.

Anyhoo, here it is now:

My "helper."  If vomiting on the new rug counts as helping.  She thinks it does.

Our guitars hang to the right of the bookshelves.

Light, bright, and perfect for my family to play our musical instruments, board games, or just hang out.  We are in here so much more now, and it has become a lovely sitting room where we do actually sit!

As you can see, I painted the walls, got new curtains and a rug, and reupholstered my armless chair (my first drop cloth project!):

I painted the drop cloth for a vintage grain sack effect...

and used upholstery tacks in the back.

I also pulled together some of my favorite artwork to create that eclectic gallery wall:

"Complete" with empty frames waiting to be filled.

I have been waiting for years to hang that bullfighting poster, because I never had it framed.  Now here it is, simply pinned to my wall.  And I love it.  Found the horn at the thrift store for $3.

I used more drop cloth to create a skirt for the piano to hide various electronica:

Oh, I have a few more things to finish in here.  But for now it's done enough, and I'm loving it.


P.S.  Here are my resources:

Paint: Muslin by Sherwin-Williams

Curtains: Ikea

Rug: Overstock.com
Rattan File Boxes: Ballard Designs

Ottoman: My Mother-in-Law (Thanks Meems!)

P.P.S.  Lovin' the Linky's at:

Truly Lovely

Gallery Wall Inspiration

Thanks, friends, for the great feedback on my recent identity crisis.  After careful consideration, I have decided (once again) that y'all are awesome.  I felt very supported.  Now, are you ready for some fluff?

I really can't harp on it enough, but Pinterest is my favorite time-suck.  It might be a bad habit, but it's also such an inspiration.  In a few days I will be showing you my own gallery wall, which in large part was inspired by these beautiful and eclectic versions:

Just can't get over my love for an eclectic gallery wall.  All sources can be found here.  (Another reason why Pinterest rocks).