SLIDER

4-in-1 Wall Art You Can DIY for Cheap

Thursday, November 29, 2018





This is one of my very favorite projects for both its simplicity and versatility.
When we bought our first home last year I was beyond excited to decorate it - so much so that I had a cart full of furniture and decor on Wayfair that I hit "BUY" on the moment our closing was over. It didn't take long for me to realize that furnishing a house gets very expensive very quickly, leaving little room in the budget for all of the design dreams that I had. I spent countless hours scouring the internet for affordable items and coupon codes when it dawned on me that I should try to DIY a few projects to save a little cash. 

There was a large blank wall space between our newly mounted TV and the fireplace in our family room that I was looking to fill. I measured the space and went on to Amazon to order a canvas in an appropriate size. Then spent some time looking for a fabric with a neutral color scheme and simple pattern. I fell in love with a crisp but cozy Nate Berkus print at Joann Fabric and ordered 1 yard. 

I do not own a staple gun (yet!) so I needed to use a good ole hammer & nails to secure the fabric to the canvas. I pulled the fabric taut over the canvas and used Scotch tape to temporarily hold in place. Using short nails (if they are longer than the depth of the canvas they will poke through the front) I affixed the fabric to the wooden frame of the canvas in each of the four corners. Once secured, I removed the tape, cut down the excess fabric and tucked the ends under the wooden frame to secure. 

I liked the look of the canvas at this point but felt it was missing something. Thankfully Home Goods never fails me and within a few days of completing this project I found the perfect accessory - a rustic wooden sign affixed with a metal "G" (my last initial) complete with a piece of rope. Once hanging the canvas on the wall I put another longer nail through the top middle of the canvas and hung my Home Goods find like so.

Just wait though...it gets better! Since I have this hung in a focal point of my family room it only made sense to utilize throughout the year for seasonal decor... 

...for Halloween I replace the wooden sign with this Gothic piece I found for $1 at AC Moore and some black netting




...for Thanksgiving I use this "Give Thanks" sign I received as a housewarming gift (which I believe is also from Home Goods)


...for Christmas I get a little more creative and use 2" ribbon and a medium sized bow to "wrap" the canvas like a gift!



I love coming up with new ideas on how to jazz up this canvas all year round and it still bring me joy to hang the "G" back up when there are no holidays in sight.



How to Make DIY Canvas Wall Art
(total cost at time of posting, excluding tools = $26)

What you need:
  1. Canvas (mine is 24" x 36" but use whatever size makes sense for your space)
  2. Fabric (1 yd)
  3. Hammer
  4. 4 short nails (must be shorter than the depth of the canvas)
      (Optional) Accent piece (mine is from Home Goods but here is one from Etsy that will work nicely)


Steps:
  1. Pull the fabric taut over the canvas and use Scotch tape to temporarily hold in place
  2. Hammer 1 short nail into each of the four corners
  3. Removed the tape
  4. Cut down the excess fabric and tucked the ends under the wooden frame to secure
  5. Hang on wall in desired location
  6. If affixing an accent piece, hammer one larger nail through the canvas into the wall to attach 

My Golden Mean

Tuesday, November 13, 2018






I, like many, am an easy target for rabbit holes of obsession. A combination of curiosity, susceptibility, stubbornness and perfectionism has frequently led me astray. In college my major changed 6 times, running the gamut from exercise science to merchandising before I fell in love with accounting (said no one ever?).


This may ring familiar to you.


Have you spent egregious amounts of money developing a 12-step skincare routine while thoughtfully contemplating the merits of both minimalism and financial stability? Have you delicately sipped Golden Turmeric Milk one evening and demolished cheese fries the next? Do you embrace both high and low culture - watching Real Housewives and reading classic literature in the same sitting? Are you seemingly a walking contradiction?


If so, you & I are in the same struggle.


After 30 years of trying to become the best at every single thing that peaks my interest (which spans nearly every subject known to man...except geology) I am throwing in the towel. I am no longer attempting to find that one thing that I am meant to be amazing at and am instead seeking out a balance that allows me to moderately feed all of my interests. I am deleting the "jack of all trades, master of none" mantra from my mind. I will not become a professional book reviewer or a pastry chef but I will fervently recommend my favorites reads to friends while feeding them a lopsided homemade cake. This is where the golden mean comes into play.


It has been argued that the concept of a golden mean is present in nearly all facets of human existence from architecture and music to nature and ethics. Most simplistically, the golden mean represents a middle road, moderation, balance. And so, herein lies the quest I have begun that I invite you to join - finding a personal balance, my golden mean.
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