The Anatomy of a Wall Collage

I love a good collage. Mixing prints, textures and colors is a general theme around our home. And  whether small or large, a good wall collage adds personality and depth to any room. Here are some of my tips for achieving your perfect mix. 

1. Make it personal

Use items from your life - your wedding, your adventures, meaningful quotes -- something from your favorite novel, a line or two of poetry or even an entire poem, or song lyrics -- perhaps the song you danced to at your wedding, or the one your mother used to sing to you as a child.

2. Find a common theme

Make one element of the collage cohesive  -- perhaps a color story {I went with neutral colors in my living room collage}, using the same frame for each piece, a wall of only poetry or song lyrics, pictures from your honeymoon or a favorite trip. Find something that ties a common thread between all pieces.

3. Plan it out

I like to lay the collage on the floor to get the perfect arrangement, then cut out shapes from paper that match each piece. Lightly tape each piece of paper to the wall and tweak the placement as needed. It may seem like extra work, but I guarantee you it is far easier than rearranging things after you've already made holes in the wall. I especially suggest this if you are trying to hang multiple things in one straight line.

4. Don't be afraid to switch it up

Changing out pieces in the collage helps keep things fresh, especially during the holiday season. I like to add silver Christmas balls to the antlers in our living room or string garland across the frames to make them more festive. Also, if you find another piece of art that you love, find a way to incorporate it into your collage.

xoxo

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Welcome Fall

Like so many others of you, fall is my absolute favorite season. Changing leaves, camping trips, the smell of campfires, mine and husband's birthdays, apples, pears & pumpkins, the promise of the holiday season and sweet memories made with family. In just a couple weeks October will be here - my favorite month - with so much to look forward to!

{Isn't this gorgeous? I can has this please? via}

We really want to make the most of this season and start traditions to share with little E. With the mornings and evening bringing cooler weather, I am absolutely itching to get outside, play in the dirt and climb some mountains! Here is our bucket list of sorts for this fall season:

1 - Annual camping trip to Standing Indian Mountain, complete with a sunrise hike, campfire s'mores, a visit from my family, and birthday carrot cake (GF!).

2 - Make homemade apple cider and drink it on the porch in the afternoon. The setting sun makes the trees taller than normal and backlights the leaves with a lovely golden glow.

3 - Take as many Sunday afternoon walks as possible, ideally on the nearby hiking trails.

4 - Finally make it to the north Georgia apple orchard and do some apple picking. Also, stop by a roadside stand and pick up some pumpkins and squash for Thanksgiving decorations.

5 - Revamp our porch and back patio: add some colorful mums, finish the wooden bench we started making, spray paint the porch swing, add some twinkle lights.

6 - Crunch leaves with little Elliot :)

Some other fall favorites & paleoish treats:

-- Geometric painted pumpkins
-- Would LOVE for our patio to look similar to this.
-- Love this mix of plants for our front porch.
 -- A paleo ginger chai latte (I'd add almond milk & forgo the ice)
-- A Salted Nutella Latte (use almond milk & Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter or make your own)
-- Delicious Roasted garlic & parsnip soup
-- Seriously loving scarves (always) and mixed neutrals for fall.
-- Also this hoodie, please (ahem, my birthday is just around the corner...)


xoxo
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Spring Fever // The Home Edition

The warm sunny days filling the weekends lately have put me into serious cleaning and organization mode. Like every other home owner I know, I have a laundry list of projects, updates and DIYs for our house. Unfortunately, being nine months pregnant hinders some of these projects, so I've turned my attention to the things I can currently complete. Husband recently helped me update our couch's end tables via this Ikea hack, and I am so pleased with the end result. Now my sights are set on updating the rest of our living and dining room furniture and revamping our front entrance... and perhaps completing a few outdoor projects along the way! 

Smitten Studio Garment Rack DIY

Cement Planter DIY

Antler Water Hose Hook {I think husband can make this}

Wooden Planter DIY

Bleecker Side Chair - Jonathan Adler for JCP

Walton Sofa - West Elm

West Elm Emersen-Inspired Buffet - DIY

Restoration Hardware-Inspired Shelving - DIY

I've been eyeing dining room chairs for a while, and these Jonathan Adler ones are pretty perfect with the wooden base and nail head trim. Also for the dining room, I think some industrial wood shelving would make a neat alternative for a bar or bar cart. As for our patio, I'd like to make some simple modern planters to house some of our favorite plants and make a cool garden hose hanger for the side of the house since the current one is an eyesore.

Do you have any spring projects or updates in mind?

{All products and links can also be found here.}

xoxo

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Baby Talk // Nursery Inspiration

1 / 2 

I am finally at that point with this pregnancy where I am getting really excited about the reality of this little man. It's not that I've had a difficult time or anything, it just seemed like 32 weeks would never. get. here. But here we are... just 8 weeks away from the due date! So, naturally, I've started taking an active role in prepping and decorating the nursery. Here are some of my inspirations {all pinned here} and a few of the things I've collected thus far. 

3 / 4 

Thus far....

The color palate is grey, white and natural woods with pops of turquoise and blue. Luckily, we were handed down a white crib and glider, and my mom loving purchased us a white mid-century vintage dresser for a changing table. My sweet mother also helped me pick out fabric and is having the glider cushions recovered, and she gave me my grandmother's vintage foot stool, which we are recovering as well. I found a set of vintage grey lockers ages ago at an antique store and bought them to use as office storage. I also already had a vintage metal table, which I recently spray painted grey to match the lockers. I picked up a couple vintage locker baskets at an antique store to use for storage. {Pictures coming soon!}

I purchased this print from Joni Lay, except she was kind enough to custom make it with a different background. I chose a lovely blue and  turquoise mountain and pine tree scene that she had used for her advent prints. I framed it in a barn wood frame and hung it above the crib. It's perfect. I also hung some of K's vintage wooden arrows {you can find them at antique stores or on etsy} to add to the adventure/western/outdoorsy theme we have going. I made the adventure print myself and used a gold frame that we already had. My mom gifted me the glittery deer, and the gold antlers are Threshold from Target. I also really love this courage print by Joni Lay and hope to incorporate it in the nursery as well! For the crib bedding, we are using organic cotton sheets from Burts Bees Baby and this amazing Pendleton crib blanket. 

I will share some {non-Instagram} pictures soon! I should be getting the recovered cushions back this weekend and will take some photos then.

xoxo

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A Shabby Chic Christmas

This past weekend we held a small surprise birthday party for my sweet mother at my parent's house. I shared a few of her Christmas decorations before, but I was amazed yet again by how festive and cozy their house is a Christmas time. 

My mother's style is what I would call shabby chic glam. Gold and white, glitter and lace, fresh greenery and birch wood, twinkling lights and fireplace logs. I love the tree placed in a wicker basket, the handmade cloth and lace garland, and the red-orange flicker lights on the birch logs under the mantle.

 I can't believe that Christmas is merely a week away!

xoxo

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Holiday Hosting

{I love this simple, rustic table. I also LOVE the idea of relocating our farm table outside, but we will most likely end up just eating in the dining room and venturing outside after our meal.}


The holiday season is definitely one of my favorite times of year, possibly second only to the cool mornings and changing leaves of fall.. that promise the start of the holidays in just a couple short months. In keeping with our new tradition, we are hosting Thanksgiving at our house for K's family. Last year was the first year that we did this, and it was so wonderful having everyone over to our home. (We live the farthest out from the city, so it is rare that K's family comes over.) I am really looking forward to hosting again, even making the Thanksgiving turkey! Recipes and decoration how-to's are in the near future, but for now here are some of my inspirations for our Thanksgiving dinner.

{A simple but festive place setting (that will smell delicious) + GF iced oatmeal cookies for the kids... and me, who am I kidding!}

{Rosemary roasted carrots + roasted cauliflower with whipped goat cheese}

{Homemade spiced apple cider + pumpkin icebox cake (not paleo, but delicious and easily made GF)}

{I think making stars out of sticks would be a great project for the kids. We can collect sticks from the yard, make the stars, and then have the kids hang them on our tree. For our tree this year, we are doing a smaller one (maybe 3-4 feet tall?) placed in a galvanized bucket and decorated with white and neutrals.}

xoxo

{all links, recipes and images can be found here}

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This Young House: Building a Hairpin Leg Bench

Our master bedroom is one of the only rooms in our home that is close to being finished. Aside from large projects like exchanging our horrid green carpet for hardwood floors, painting the trim and upgrading our nightstands to something more our style, the room is just what we wanted -- a {headboard-less} low bed, industrial lighting, unique and meaningful artwork. One of the few remaining projects we had was to build a bench for the foot of our bed. We were originally looking for something at our local antique and thrift stores, but nothing was exactly what we wanted, so we decided to build the simplest version of our vision.

You will need:

1 - 12 inch x 5ft x 1&1/2in board*

a small can of stain or polyurethane**

4 - 17inch hairpin legs***

12 - 1&1/4 inch screws

Sand, stain and seal the wood to your desired color and let dry overnight. Assembling the legs is quite simple. Lightly attach two legs on opposite corners, then turn the bench over and place the remaining legs underneath to see if and where they are uneven. {This step requires a second pair of hands!} Use the supplied spacer on the leg that is uneven. Attach the remaining legs and secure tightly. Viola!

xoxo

Other considerations...

*Our bed is about 5feet wide so we chose to make the bench the same length. If you want something longer, use a longer length board

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**If making an outdoor bench, including one you may place on a deck or front porch, be sure to use indoor/outdoor or outdoor stain to protect against rain.

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***Obviously, the height of the legs will depend on how tall you need the bench to be. We wanted ours just slightly lower than our bed, so 17inch legs worked perfectly. 

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Deck the Halls

Christmas decorating was special this year, since this is our first Christmas in our new {to us} house. It was fun to finally pull out the things I've been saving for the last few years -- vintage ornaments from my grandmother, garland and lights for the doorway -- and deck the halls of our new home for the first time.

We went to a local tree farm and cut our first real Christmas tree. I used a piece of burlap as a tree skirt, and we trimmed away with ornaments I've collected over the past few years. For the mantle, white candles and greenery are festive, yet simple. I filled milk glass vases of different sizes with cypress clippings for the Christmas Eve table.

Merry merry Christmas to you.

xoxo

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Light it Up

 task lamps 

One of the first projects I have taken on in our new house is the master bathroom. It honestly needs quite a bit of work {envision carpeted floors, no tub, and a sliding door shower}, but for now I'm transforming the spaces with paint, hardware and textiles and new lighting. One of my current challenges is the lighting over the sink and mirror. Here are some of my inspirations that combine both aesthetics and functionality.

gold pendants

boxed sconce 

vanity lights 

boathouse light

crystal bulbs

bronze sconce

This weekend the plan is to transform the oddly placed window in the water closet into a beadboard shelf. Pictures to come!

Also, how about a lighted tub?

xoxo

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Managing the Mantle

favorite themes: layered art, empty frames, alphabet 

One of my favorite features in our new home is the dramatic brick fireplace in our living room. The open floor plan of the living area, the layout of the entryway, and the central location of the fireplace make it an obvious focal point in the room. In it's current state, the mantle needs a bit of love. I plan to paint it a pale grey and to remove the heinous gold cover {it's straight from the 90s}, but I haven't decided on how to decorate yet. In our previous apartment, I had meaningful artwork and pictures on our mantle but frequently changed decor. And while I'm sure I will change things up equally often in this home, here are some of my current inspirations.

(1) moody grey  (2) layered art  (3) color- blocked books

What is your mantle type?

xoxo

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Pillow Talk

I mentioned a while ago that this may be the year that husband and I become home owners. It's not definite yet {that whole I-need-to-find-a-job thing is getting in the way}, but the prospect is pretty exciting. I've already bookmarked a million or so inspiration images for what I envision as our calm, modern meets rustic bedroom. I am leaning towards a minimal wooden bed frame, a mix of white linens, Lucite tables, a grey {chevron?} duvet, and pops of chartreuse to break up the neutral pallet. Here are some of my favorite inspirations thus far.

 {All images (and my commentary) can be found here.}


Sweet dreams.
xoxo

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Tinsel

Somewhere in the craziness of life over the past few weeks, I found time to decorate just a bit for the holiday season. A simple tree decorated with antlers, blue lights and tinsel above the television, and a few strategically placed glass ornaments brought a hint of Christmas cheer to our home.

xoxo

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Animal Farm

Sometimes I wonder if our house guests notice the conspicuous presence of animal-inspired decor in our home. Between the brass deer on the mantle, antler candle holders on the coffee table, and a vintage horse lamp beside the TV, it may feel more like Old McDonald's living room than a young couple's. Nonetheless, I enjoy the modern feel and earthy nostalgia that bucks, horses, and other creatures can bring to a room. Although I prefer to buy from antique and vintage stores, here are a few ideas for creating an animal farm in your own home. I just wouldn't put them all together... we really don't want to end up living like Old McDonald... or George Orwell, for that matter.

1. Love Bird Wall Art - Urban Outfitters
2. Enchanted Buck Measuring Cups - Anthropologie
3. Feather Wreath - Pier 1
4. David Dear Duck Mirror - Urban Outfitters
5. Cowhide Rug - West Elm
6. Wise 'Ol Cookie Jar - Anthropologie
7. Horse Bust - Z Gallerie
8. Woods Wallpaper - Anthropologie
9. Calico Owl Knob - Anthropologie
10. Zebra Slipper Chair - Urban Outfitters
11. Elephant Salt & Pepper - Jonathan Adler
12. Marquette Taper Holders - Z Gallerie
13. Squirrel Candle Holder - Jonathan Adler
14. Cardboard Taxidermy - Urban Outfitters
15. Trotting Thoroughbred Handles - Anthropologie


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mapping out the future

there is something so wonderfully intriguing about maps i think. maybe it's the association with travel and adventures or because they make me think of my husband or perhaps its the nostalgia of trips past. regardless of the source, my love of maps is transcending into my tastes in home design.

this is my favorite use of old maps. unfortunately, we don't have any glass doors, so this project will be tucked away for our next home.

i love the simplicity of this print over a sofa. i think it would work quite well with my new-found love of clean lines and neutrals.
{available on etsy}

this would make a really unique focal point in an office. the challenge is finding such wonderfully colored globes. i imagine painting them would require more artistry than i am equipped with!

how about a map of your favorite city to greet you when you walk in the door?
{via apartment therapy}

or hanging above the bed in a guest bedroom?
{via apartment therapy}


these ideas have come a long way from a world map with "where i have been" pushpins, don't you think?
xoxo


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DIY days

one of the things i love about summer is having a bit of free time to invest in all the DIY projects that have been collecting during the semester. here are a few that i have planned for the next month or so...

homemade citronella candles in a variety of interesting containers will keep the mosquitoes away while we enjoy dinner & mojitos on the back porch.


continuing to redesign our office... i am searching for some inexpensive file cabinets and plan on giving them a wallpaper face-lift!


this self-watering herb garden is the perfect way to add a few more herbs to my collection. i love the re-purposing of old bottles, and the ease of a window-sill garden. i think i may use wine bottles to allow the plants a bit more room to grow.


i am so in love with these filament lights! they would look great over the bookshelf that will soon inhabit our living room. this project, however, may be a bit more complicated, so i may have to call for backup. good thing my dad is an electrician.


do you have any projects planned for the summer? do share!
xoxo


images via design*sponge
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