Ombre Paint Chip Art

This was such a quick and easy project for my living room gallery wall. 

Yes, I still have empty frames in a mini gallery wall I put up 1 year ago!!!

I just get creeped out when I see tons of posed couple photos or wedding photos in a couple's home, so I was waiting for just the right idea to come along to fill that larger middle frame.  There are so many tutorials online that there is no need for me to recreate it!

Here are the basic steps:

1.  Put your innocent face on as you walk into Home Depot to score free paint
     chips

2.  Punch out  your circles using a 1" circle punch (purchased at Michaels using a
     50% off coupon)

3.  Start at the bottom and work your way up hiding the tape under each layer

4.  Go back to Home Depot and grab a few extra paint chips in the colors that you
     did not grab enough of in the first place

5.  Go back with double sided tape and tape down any flaps that are behaving

6.  Frame and hang

The colors aren't the best in the picture, but my chips range from (top) creams, (middle) purples and (bottom) grays.

What do you put in those larger frames?!

Get Inspired!

Rusty and I have been out of school all of this week.  We have spent so much time cuddling on the couch watching movies, but we have also put in some serious work in the cleaning/organizing department.  And know what we ran into?  An old binder full of torn out magazine sheets that we found almost 10 years ago when we began dreaming about our first house.  Let's just say I am SO glad we lost that binder since it was filled with authentic cabin looking decor!

In the days of Pinterest, we can get lost online pinning to our little organized boards, but what do we do with those magazine pages that we rip out? 

Apparently, I have a system.  I didn't really know I had a system until I ran into about 5 pages thrown around my house.  I tape them to the areas that I am planning on transforming!  I live by the mentality of putting those dreams/goals/desires out into the universe, lol!

Here is what I have done with some of those magazine pages:

Gallery Wall

 

Click here for my Gallery Wall post.

Guest Bedroom

I have had this taped to the back of the door.  My makeover is almost done, and I'm not too sure I stuck to any of the inspiration.  But, hey, it's still pretty!

Click here, here and here to read my guest bedroom posts.

And here are some projects that haven't come to fruition just yet:

Office Desk

This one is an easy transformation since it is basically just staging with things I have.

Click here to read about my office.

Open Kitchen Shelving

This is taped to the inside of my current cabinet that I plan to take down for transformation!

Christmas Decor

Here is what I had tucked under a pumpkin on my last mantlescape waiting to transfer it to Christmas!

Garden Tub 

I bought all of the supplies for this lighting project this week and hope to have it up soon!

So - as a tip from me to you - hang some inspiration around your home and be amazed at how much faster you will end up getting the projects done!

Isn't it so funny what you learn about yourself when you just step back and analyze a small pattern that emerged?!  Do you still find tangible inspiration outside of Pinterest? 



Happy 1 Year

Source

Today is my blog's 1 year anniversary.  We are very much still in the "honeymoon" stage.  I am loving this new hobby more and more each day.  Thank you to all 354 readers I have!  I probably know about 10 of you irl, and it continues to amaze me that you are enjoying my little corner of the blogosphere.  Here's to another wonderful upcoming year!!!

 

Christmas Typography Painted Rug and Plates

Have you seen the new Martha Stewart Plaid line in your Michaels?  It's like Martha herself crawled into every craft bloggers little mind and answered our wishes for these perfectly convenient supplies....and right in time for Christmas!

When my box of crack came, I ripped into it to find paints, brushes, sponges, stencils, texturizers and GLITTER!!!  It was one of my weaker moments, and I was glad I was home alone.

For today's project, I am using an Ikea rug, Specialty Sponges, 1" Flat Brush and the paint colors Scottish Highlands and Habanero in Satin.

To start off, I tapped into my K-5 days and taped off some lines to create a little piece of penmanship paper.  I used this as a guide to free style my cursive font.

When painting the words, here's a tip: start with the middle letter first and finish off the end of the word.  Then, work backwards towards the beginning of the word.

Next, I took the Specialty Sponges and made random little red balls that could pass for ornaments.

After I finished up this project, I just wasn't ready to quit.  I rounded up some white plates and began playing around with more typography.  I chose to work with Peace, Merry and Joy.  I also pulled out the Four Seasons Stencil, Adhesive Holiday Icon II Stencils, Holiday Icon Stencils, Specialty Sponges and paint colors Scottish Highlands in Satin, Fruit Punch in Pearl and Sterling in Metallic. 

I began with the same technique of taping off an even space/line.

After letting the lettering dry, I went back over it again with my brush.  I used the different snowflake stencils to create a random pattern of Winter Wonderfulness!

The stencils were so easy to use with the stencil adhesive.  Just spray a little on the back, let dry for about 30 seconds and create up to about 5 stencils before you need to reapply.  It helped my lines stay extra crisp, and I highly recommend this product when working on a slick surface such as a plate.

Of course, I had to go back and add some GLITTER!!!  Here they are on my floating shelves in the dining room.  I can't wait until we go get our tree and garland for me to complete the look!

Playing with my Martha Stewart products was so much fun.  This is just the beginning of what all I plan to make.  Make sure you stop by her aisle at Michaels and to check out the stencils and pops of paint colors for your crafts, but don't go alone!!! Take a friend and maybe even pack a lunch!

*I received product and payment for this post - all opinions are my own.
** Check out Plaid's Martha Stewart Page!

I'm partying with The Shabby Nest, House of Hepworths, Sisters of the Wild West, Funky Junk Interiors, I Heart Naptime, Making the World Cuter, The Girl Creative, Skip to my Lou, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Sew Can Do, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia