Home Design Idea Do or Don't: Art & Photo Walls

 

Art and photo walls are super popular these days - I myself have two, one in our dining room and another in our hallway.  Because of the huge walls in our apartment, it felt necessary to add a large collection of photos and artwork on one wall but I started to feel as if it was becoming redundant.  As a result, I decided to find larger pieces of artwork to fill up our other walls in order to keep it from feeling too busy.

The element of surprise is rare in home design - how often do you walk into someone's house and think, Wow, I would never have thought of that?  Sure, we may be in awe of others' homes because of size or that amazing sofa they have, but not surprised.  So, I loved the idea of a photo wall in the bathroom because it's unexpected and makes the room feel more like a continuation of the rest of the home.  What do you think - would you do a photo wall in the shape of a heart or fill the living room walls completely with Polaroids?


{Picture Sources, top to bottom: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight}

DIY Project: Re-upholstering a Chair

I am overwhelmingly happy to report I have completed my first ever re-upholstery project.  A few weeks ago, my boyfriend found three of these chairs at a dumpster when visiting his Grandma.  He sent me a text message with a picture of them and I encouraged him to bring them home so I could teach myself how to re-upholster chairs.  So I scoured the web and fabric stores for some cute fabric and read every internet site that even mentioned re-upholstery.  It was incredibly nerve-wracking, but I set out on re-upholstering my first of the three chairs during Spring Break.

First, I took the chair completely apart, including removal of the seat and all of the fabric on the seat back.  The seat cushion was in great shape, so I decided to go ahead and reuse those.  The batting on the seat back was also in good condition still, so I figured I'd reuse it too.  Next, I stripped the chairs using an easy-to-use spray and wash called TSP.  Once the chairs were dry, I did a small amount of sanding in areas that were particularly rough or had splinters.  Then, I applied several coats of wood stain letting the chair dry completely before each new coat.

Then, it was time to put the chair back together.  First, I re-attached the seat cushion using a fresh set of screws (since the old ones were worn), and used the fabric I removed from the seat-back as my pattern for cutting out my new piece of fabric.  Using spray adhesive, I placed the new fabric over the batting and began   securing it with a staple gun.  Once complete, I used glue to adhere the cording cutting the ends at an angle and slightly overlapping them to try and make the seam....seamless.  And ta-da!

I am very happy with the finished product and am planning on using this chair as an occasional chair in my living room.  The next two are going to be totally different and go at the heads of my dining table (fingers crossed).  The one thing I know I need to work on, however, is the cording.  It was a little tricky and didn't come out as clean as I'd like it to, but overall I'd say it was a successful first upholstery project!

DIY Polka Dot Tablecloth

Although I am still working on my current DIY project, I can't stop thinking about my next one, a Polka Dot Tablecloth by Oh Happy Day.  This is such a fantastic idea and looks so easy!  Plus, how cute will this tablecloth be for birthday parties and Spring brunches.  I love it so much, I am thinking about making several for all of my sister-in-laws for Christmas. Eek!

{pics & instructions available at Oh Happy Day}

Affordable DIY Art: Framing Dish Towels

I love using random things for artwork and mixing them in with "real" art and photographs, especially since there are some amazing graphic artists out there.  Plus, it keeps me from breaking the bank as a result of purchasing multiple pieces of art.  

Lately, I've been obsessed with framing dish towels like the one I found above at Crate & Barrel for $6!  The frame is from Ikea and cost only $25 which brought my total cost to $31!  It's a total steal and you would be surprised on how many compliments I get over this piece.  No one usually guesses it's a framed towel, but it definitely is.  Honestly, it's become one of my favorite pieces in my apartment since it adds such a great pop of color to my white walls.

This one from Crate & Barrel would also be great to frame for a kitchen as well as these two (one & two) from Anthropologie. 

DIY Project Time

My boyfriend found three of these chairs near a dumpster so I am excited to be starting my first re-upholstery project EVER. Luckily the chairs were free to accommodate my learning curve. I have just taken it completely apart so the hard work begins now. Wish me luck!

DIY Project: Yarn Lamp Shade

What you'll need...

What you'll do...

1. Tie first color of yarn around inside of lamp, knotting once for slackers or twice for comfort & security.

2. Wrap yarn around the shade creating random angles & triangles, doubling up your lines, tripling or creating a symmetrical pattern - I had no rhyme or reason for my lines and just went with my gut.  Finish by tying a knot at one of the three bars just the same as you did when beginning.

3. Repeat process with the second & third colors of yarn, wrapping around as many as you'd like or as little. 

And voila! You are done with your lamp shade.  Here was my final product.

I was very nervous when I began but it's a very easy-going project that requires little effort & time with a fun end-product.  Plus, I don't believe there's any way you could possibly screw up.  (FYI, the base was $20 at Target so my whole project cost $40!  Far cheaper than  a similar one I saw in a catalog for $130.)

What do you think - fabulous or a flop?  Would you try this at home?

Home Decor Ideas: Plates on Walls

What a great way to showcase your favorite plates!  Or, if you find a couple of great plates on Etsy or a thrift store, this would be a great way to show them off.  Love it.



{Photo via Pinterest}

DIY Reindeer Tag or Postcard

PAPER REINDEER POSTCARD 

courtesy of Amy Moss

What you will need:

• A4 Kraft card
• A4 White, textured card
• 4 craft brads
• Double-sided tape
• Scissors
• 3mm (or smaller) circle craft punch
• Color Printer
• Postcard Back design (download PDF by clicking on link)
• Paper Reindeer Postcard design (download PDF by clicking on link)
• Hobby knife
• Ruler
• Cutting board

Instructions:
Download the 'Paper Reindeer Postcard' PDF from the link below and print out onto white card stock using a color printer. Using a pair of scissors, cut around the separate parts of the reindeer leaving some white around the edges. (Tip: You don't need to cut perfectly straight. In fact, a slightly irregular edge just creates a more whimsical, handmade feel.) Position the legs, antler and tail on the correct areas of the reindeer body and attach by punching holes and inserting and fastening craft brads. Cut out the 'happy holidays' banner, also leaving a white border around the edges.
Download the 'Postcard Back' PDF and print onto kraft card. Use a hobby knife, ruler and cutting board to cut to correct size.
Using double-sided tape, stick the banner to the bottom of the front of the postcard. Place a bit of double sided tape to the middle of the reindeer body to attach him to the center of your postcard.

For the downloadable images used here to create the Reindeer Tags & Postcards, click here.

{all images and downloads are copyright of Amy Moss}

Holiday Season

It's officially beginning to feel like Christmas.  Although I still have Halloween decorations up, and Thanksgiving is in 15 days, commercials are filled with holiday jingles and Santa's helpers.  Stores are filled with Christmas decorations, cold weather is fast approaching (some areas even received snow already!), and holiday gift guides are arriving in the mail.  It's kind of crazy.  I still have a turkey to buy, and scarecrows to hide, but it is on its way - the time of year that makes even grown-ups giddy inside.  Are you ready for the holiday season?

{photo via Pinterest}

Romantic Hairstyles

I love these hairstyles - so romantic, chic & feminine - perfect for a dinner party or wedding.  And I am dying to dye my hair red.  Unfortunately I cut all my hair off 6 weeks ago (8 inches!) so now I can't do any of the above hairstyles.  But one day....

How about you?  Have you tried any great new hairstyles or changed up your color?

{photo from Aisle Candy via Pinterest}

Home Decor Signage

Absolutely love this idea from None.

Mess-Free Halloween Pumpkins

I absolutely love carving pumpkins, but will be the first one to admit that gutting them is really gross.  So, a couple of years ago my boyfriend and I started painting pumpkins instead and made them into witches, black cats, bats & spiders.  It's a great way to be creative without the mess.  Here are a few ideas in case you're interested.

{photo courtesy of The Finer Things}

Creepy Crawly How-To:

Paint black, super glue two googly eyes,

and then cut 4 black pipe cleaners in half jamming each set of 4 on

each side of the pumpkin for legs.  And oula!

Black Cat How-To:

Paint a small pumpkin and medium sized pumpkin black. (Avoid using paint with water because then you'll end up with cracks like me).  Remove the stem from the larger pumpkin and fill the area with lots of hot glue.  Then, attache the smaller pumpkin and let dry.

Using hot glue, attach 2 googly eyes and a button for a nose to the head.  The whiskers are actually 6 sewing pins pushed into the pumpkin.  For the ears, cut a black  pipe cleaner in two and jam them into the pumpkin.  You can stabilize them with a little bit of super glue or hot glue.  For the tail, take two pipe cleaners and twist together one end while curling the other end.  Stick the twisted end into the pumpkin. 

To make the tie, simply use a pipe cleaner and tie it around the cat's neck like a necklace. Then, cut a tie shape out of felt and glue to the pipe cleaner.  For added flair, you can decorate the tie with stripes or polka dots.

Halloween Desserts

Halloween is exactly one week away, so it's crunch time here - need candy for the trick-or-treaters, finishing touches for my costume, materials for desserts, and need to rent those classic scary movies for one frightfully fun night.  How are things progressing at your home?  If you're like me, you scour the web looking at pictures for inspiration.

To make your week easier, I will be doing at least one post a day dedicated to all things Halloween.  As a result, today's first post is dedicated to those yummy desserts we so crave.  Hopefully these pictures inspire you to create your own delicious treats.

Orange & Black Layered Cake

Wickedly Cool Orange, Blue & White Cookies

A Mean Monster Mash Cupcake

Nevermore, Nevermore Raven Cookies

 Pumpkin Tarts

Skulls of Plenty Madeleines 

Black Webbed Cupcakes

Creepy Crawly Cakes

Not-So-Scary Witch's Hat

 Delightful Pumpkins

A Spider Spins His Tale

One, Two, Three Chocolate Headstones

The last three are quick desserts I came up with for a Halloween Party at work.  They are very easy to make if you get in a time crunch.  For the Pumpkin Cupcake Toppers, I bought orange candy melts from Michael's (or was it Hobby Lobby?) and a chocolate mold.  You simply follow the directions on the package and let them harden overnight before placing on top.  Then using green buttercream icing, you can pipe a few leaves or even use a grass tip for the topping. 

The Spiderweb Cupcake Toppers were also made using candy melts, except I piped a spiderweb on a parchment paper and then let it dry overnight.  The next day, simply place them on top of your cupcake with a spider.

The Headstone Cake Toppers in the last picture were done the exact same way as the Pumpkin Toppers, just using regular melting chocolate and a chocolate mold I found at my local craft store.  Then place some spiders around the headstones in various sizes and you have a Halloween themed cake!  All three were incredibly easy to make.  So if you get in a bind, don't stress.  Just head to your local craft store and make a couple of toppers.  No one has to know how much work you did or didn't do. ;)

Birthday Wishes

For Mark Mulligan's 28th birthday, my incredibly creative future sister-in-law decided to ask all their friends and family to send in pictures wishing him (her husband) a wonderful birthday.  Since they are photographers, it was almost a sure bet that their equally creative friends would send in fun pictures wishing him the best.  Below are a few of my favorites.

Is this not the greatest idea for someone's birthday? She printed out all 50+/- pictures she received and pinned them up all around their apartment for him to see.  Super fun idea to make someone feel really special.

Happy Birthday Mark!

Ps. If you're wondering who some of these super talented people are, check out the links at right.  They are amazing photographers and people.