Tag Archives: Art

Nov 28 2011
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Art, Beach Livin', Blogging

Embrace the Art within Yourself

Good Monday morning, friends!

After waking up a bit late (got Bryan ready and out the door in 20 minutes – whew!) Gabriel and I are now taking it slow.  He’s having fun playing with his cars and I’m having fun sitting and drinking my coffee.  This week we have a goal of keeping the television off every.single.day.  We’re not big tv-watchers, anyway, but the kids do watch PBS most mornings, so it will be an adjustment of sorts.  So far, so good.  I’m loving the quiet, and when we do want some music I put on my new fave station on Pandora - Indie Holidays Radio.  Have you listened to it?  It’s great!

Another thing that’s been going on ’round here is I’ve re-opened my Etsy shop.  I’m telling you this because it’s connected to today’s title, “Embrace the Art within Yourself.”  As of today I only have one item in the shop, but I hope to be adding to it soon.  You see, at the very core of my being I am an artist.  Sometimes I ignore the truth of that statement and starve the artist within.  It’s a weird thing to do, I know.  But because being creative comes so easily for me I tend to discount the validity of it.  Have you ever done that with something in your life?

For some reason I hold the validity of business skills, math skills, numchuck skills, what-have-you, in higher regard because those things are more difficult for me to grasp.  Like I said, it’s weird, I know.  So you know what I’ve decided to do?  Yep, I’ve decided to embrace the art within myself.  Whether it’s drawing, painting, decorating, writing, whatever, I am pursuing it because it’s who the Lord created me to be on this earth.

And you know what?  He created art within you, too.  There’s a beauty within you that only you possess…that only you can share with this world…that only you can allow Him to awaken.

Are you willing to embrace the artist within?

I dare you.

Blessings

~Jen

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Mar 21 2011
5 Comments
Livingroom, Restyling, Thrifting, Wall Decor

Risky Business: A Wall Collage

The Nester is hosting Take a Risk Day this Tuesday so I thought I would join in on the fun, being the adventuresome gal that I am.  Now I’m not talking about climbing mountains, white water rafting or jumping cliffs, at least not physically…metaphorically, yes, I will be climbing a mountain in my own home.  And no, I’m not talking about Mount de Poppy, as it is laid to rest thanks to my helpful hubby and new system for laundry.  I’m talking about accomplishing a home task that I’ve been afraid to do. 

My risk…creating a collage of photos and gasp, ordering large prints of family photos.  Yes, I have been scared to order family photos.  Ridiculous, I know, but seeing as I have a repulsion for clutter the fear of ordering the “wrong” photos, the “wrong” size or not knowing where to place my printed photos has kept me from doing so for the last eight years.  Eight years, people.  Now I will order the 4×6 version occasionally, but the last thing I wanted to happen was to have boxes and boxes of un-scrapbooked (is that a word?) photos waiting for me piled in the corner of the garage.  And so my photos remained digital only, that is until I finally took that risk last week and ordered some large prints of family photos. 

It was scary.

Real scary…

You think I’m joking? 

Well, I’m not…and taking this risk has brought me so much JOY because now when I look at that big wall in the livingroom I see our family on many adventures…hiking in Colorado, sight-seeing in Tennesse, soaking up the sun in South Padre, exploring a mission in San Antonio and just being a family. 

The mirrors that frame out the photo collage were a steal of a deal that I found at Goodwill a couple of years ago. 

I also snagged all of the frames for cheap, cheap, cheap at the Goodwill of the Goodwill, aka “the bargain barn.”  They seriously cost me between .50 – $1.25 each.  To give the mirrors and the frames a cohesive look I simply spray painted the frames white.

To create the “mattes” for the large frames I purchased four poster boards and cut them down to size.  They cost 38 cents each and give the wall collage that “gallery” feel.

Is there a project you’ve been stalling on due to fear?  What would it take for you to conquer that fear and make your home the place you desire it to be for you and/or your family?

Happy Creating,
Jen

Psst…if you haven’t checked out Sherry & John’s Wall Gallery at Young House Love, then go there now.  They used the same method that I did for the frame placement/hanging.  Enjoy:) 

Shared with:

Funky Junk Interiors
The Inspired Room’s Gallery Wall Party

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Aug 19 2010
31 Comments
DIY, Green, Upcycled Life

Upcycled Life: Cage Turned Photo Display

Have you ever gotten an idea and thought, “Man, this is the coolest, most inventive idea EVER!!!”?  And then you go online to browse other folks’ blogs, creative websites, etc. and find out that your “most inventive idea ever” was actually already being done?  And these folks got to it just like a week before you?  Yup, that’s what happened to me in regard to finding a way to hang photos with zero commitment to their placement.  Now, I’ve yet to see it done in this particular way, but the concept is still out there…finding a way to hang photos for the perfectionist and commitment-phobe.

How I upcycled an old cage/fence piece:

1.  I retrieved it from the garage.

2.  I hung it using these picture-hanger-up-thingies (yes, that is the technical name for them, thank you very much).

 

3.  Make sure you use 2 of those picture-hanger-up-thingies:  one on each side.

4.  Use these curtain-clippy-thingababobs from IKEA…hook them on the wire and ta-da!

 

(Oh who is THAT hottie?  Yup, that would be my hubby…he is the best!)

5.  Now it’s going to get pretty technical over here at 1 Bella Stager:  Get some photos/cards/art/whatever ya LOVE and clip them onto the photo display using the IKEA clips.

Did you get that, just clip them on…And the great thing is that you can change this as much or as little as you’d like.  Say you have some relatives coming that you don’t see often…pop up a pic of them on this board and voila (or however you spell that word) they receive much love and adoration from your wall.  Wanna find a place to hang up birthday cards…clippy, clippy…there ya go!  The possibilities are endless.

I’m participating in the CSI “Challenge of the Week” – inspiration:  Pottery Barn.  I found this in a PB catalog a lonnnnnggggggggg time ago, and feel that it speaks of this photo display that I recently upcycled. 

Do YOU have a fun way to display photos sans the commitment?  I’d love to see it…leave a comment with a link to your photo display:)

Shared with:

Funky Junk Interiors

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Aug 16 2010
2 Comments
Bedrooms, Decorating, DIY, Restyling, Upcycled Life

Upcycling: What to do with three 25 cent frames

See that artwork above the bed?  Well, that’s what you do with three 25 cent frames you find in the bargain portion of your local Goodwill.  Here’s what they looked like before:

 

 

(Ignore the paper backing; it’s an incomplete project that I had tried with them at first, but after a day or so of looking at it decided I wanted something with a little bit more pizazz, if you know what I mean.)

 

To update the blah frame I lightly spray painted it a blue we had on hand.  I wanted to give it a beachy vibe so I let some of the wood show through for more of a “washed” look.  Then I taped a matte directly to the wall; hammered in a nail; then hung a vintage crystal from a broken lamp that I own.  The total cost for this art:  literally 25 cents.

Here’s the bed before the artwork.

And here’s the bed after the 75 cent artwork.

Ta-daaa!!!

 

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