I made another small update to our home. But it's a big statement. I have been a fan of Lindsay for a long time, and I love the creative ideas that she always comes up with for her prints. I read about this print that she made for her son, and when she offered it in her shop, I knew I had to have it.
There was just one problem. The cost. The print itself was only $25, but shipping from Canada to the US was also going to be $25. I was just too cheap to shell out $50 for it. For some reason, I checked her shop randomly a few weeks ago, and she was running a 'Buy 1 Get 1 Free' sale. And on top of it, there was a smaller version (8 x 10 instead of 13 x 19) of the print that was not only cheaper, but the shipping cost was cheaper, too. Score! I could get two prints (one for me and one for Mason's grandma) for only $19. They were in my cart so fast.
And then they arrived. And something amazing happened. Instead of receiving the smaller prints, I actually received the larger prints. I feel guilty that this mistake happened, but it would have been more expensive to send it back and get the smaller version anyway, so I am just counting myself lucky.
A few short weeks later, we finally got the masterpiece hung on the wall, and here it is.
I hung it in our hallway right around the corner from our dining area. You can see it as you come through our laundry room. Here are some before and after pictures for context.
And yes, we DO think Mason is kind of a big deal around here!
I couldn't think of a better title for this post. Sorry guys. Creativity is running a little low right now.
As I promised, I finally took a picture of the curtains that I hung in our bedroom.
I think this is the best snapshot I got that shows the room in perspective. This is the view you would see as you walk into the room from the hallway. Forgive the pillow that I shoved under the bed. I didn't think it would be seen. Oops. Now it just looks like a pile of dirty clothes. It's an extra pillow people. I'm really trying to keep things clean around here.
Here is the pattern close up. I never got around to ironing them so I picked the least wrinkled spot to zoom in on.
Overall I am really happy with them. I like them open better, because then they are more "gathery". All of our windows are apparently wide, and when the curtains are closed they almost look like they are the wrong size. I am hoping someday to add bamboo blinds to all of the windows throughout the house, and so once I do that (give me like 5 years or so) maybe I will just keep the curtains open all the time.
But...did you notice anything else new in the first picture? We finally hung our wedding picture!
I was born in Washington, but I have lived in Iowa for the past...well...let's just say since I was five. So when people ask where I am from or where I grew up, most of the time I answer "Iowa". But truly, my heart has always belonged to Michigan. Both my parents were raised there, we spent many vacations there with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and I even spent two summers working at a camp on the beach outside of Holland. So no, it is not technically my hometown, or where I was born, or where I grew up, but my Michigan memories do hold a special place in my heart.
So how better to celebrate those memories than to immortalize the location in my home? I just can't think of any other way. Especially since I have so many blank walls just screaming for some decoration. As soon as I found this, I knew I wanted it. Bonus points that Byron also has ties to Michigan and liked it, too. And at only $22, it was practically a steal! I ordered it on one Monday, and it was waiting by my door the next. I dragged my husband to one of his favorite stores (yeah right) Michaels, and we found a frame in just the right size. (Although it is here that I will add that I thought 20x24 was a pretty standard size, but maybe it's not because they only had like 2 frames to choose from.)
As soon as we got home, it took about 15 minutes for our dining area to go from this...
To this!
I'm in love with my new poster. I even claimed the head of the table for myself at dinner tonight so that I could stare at my art. There are still a TON of items on my list to work on our house, but little by little it is becoming our palace. And with each new poster hung on the wall or accessory on a shelf or project completed, the pride I feel for my house gets another little boost.
By the way, for anyone wanting help determining how to hang artwork at the perfect height, I stumbled across this and have found it extremely helpful. I stick to it faithfully and have always been pleased with the results.
