My Creative Blog [Search results for Canvas] 

We've been looking forward to our fall kickoff for weeks and it's been as awesome as we hoped it would be! Honestly, we have the best.readers.ever! We so appreciate all of your support and feedback on our projects this week! If you missed them, here's what we were up to this week…Jess' Fireplace Makeover & My Foyer Update

So, to start this fall off right, we've partnered with Canvas People again to bring you FREE canvas! Use THIS LINK for your Freebie!

We love that Canvas People offers our readers these awesome deals. Right now their website is offering 25% off, but nope, our readers get an 8x10 for FREE or 50% off! SCORE! And, off course we wouldn't just give you a Freebie without some inspiration! Idea # 1- Back to School Canvas Did you see Jess' daughter's 1st Day of Preschool Pic? (Umm, cutest thing ever!) We were talking about Canvas People and she decided to get this picture on canvas and begin a tradition of getting a canvas at the beginning of every school year and putting them in her upstairs hallway.

My kiddos start school next week and I'm hoping to snap a pic even half as cute at this one! Idea # 2- Shut the Front Door Canvas

Not ready to write it in massive letters on the wall, but sorta think it's funny? We'll I'm hooking you up with a Shut the Front Door printable that you can have printed on a canvas. Download 8x10 jpeg HERE

Idea # 3 Fall Leaf Graphic Art How cool will these babies look grouped together? I am ordering these three ASAP! Of course we used our favorite digital paper from Moo and Puppy and we're sharing the downloads with you for free! Download Graphic Art Print 8x10 jpegs Birch Maple Oak

Idea # 4 Fun Fall Prints Just some random cuties that might work in your fall decor… I really love the 8x10 canvas on a mantle or shelf etc. It's the perfect size to get creative with and use in a less traditional"hang it on the wall" way! Download Autumn 8x10 jpeg HERE

Download Falling for You 8x10 jpeg HERE

Idea # 5 Print a Good Old Fashioned Picture I love this picture of me and some of my best gal pals. So often I'm printing pics of my kids or family etc, but these girls are so important to me! I think I'm going to get a canvas of this pic for my office. My posse on canvas… doesn't get much better than that! (And yes, we're a gangsta posse.)

We hope you're as excited about fall and FREE Canvases as we are! We're so glad to be back with our A-Game on! Can't wait to bring you even more fun projects that we have planned for the next few months! Enjoy your Free Canvas and don't forget to use This Link to get the Freebie Deal! Linking up to: Tutorials & Tips

You guys have been so good to us lately! You've dealt with all the blog switcheroo craziness and we thought we should thank you for it! Well, technically Canvas People are the ones doing the generous giving, but we're sharing the love with you! They run this deal from time to time, and this time around we get to share it with you!

Canvas People are offering a Free 8x10 to every EC2 reader! (or if you're more the large print type you can get $40 off of your order)

To get your free canvas, click HERE One of my very first blog posts ever was about a canvas gallery I ordered through Canvas People. Remember this?

So the question now is What to Print?? Pictures or a Printable? Don't worry, we've rounded up an awesome collection of free, legit prints that you can use on your canvas. How's that for exciting?
. To download them, follow them using the links provided to their source sites, save the image to your computer and upload it to Canvas People using the link above.
This would look great in a master bedroom or bath.Download the I love us printable.

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest The school year is almost over, make one of these on canvas for one of your kiddo's teachers Download the Teacher Appreciation printable 16x20

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest
We love the colors in this one!Download the Room in Our Hearts printable

Source: simpleasthatblog.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest

Love isn't just for the month of February! Download the fairytale printable

Source: simpleasthatblog.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest
Jess has an obsession with coral, so this would be perfect. Comes in tons of colors!Download the What I Love printable

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest
And my personal favorite is one I made from a quote I saw. Download Straight Gangsta printable

You know by now that our favorite online paper store is Moo & Puppy. I made this monogram printable to put on a canvas, but I was thinking of making one for each of my kids' teachers. All you need to do is 1-visit moo and puppy2- choose your paper pack- you get like 8 papers for $3.00 (what a deal!) 3- Use picmonkey.com to add a background shape and letter4. Use this link to get your free canvas!

Ooh, and we just found a few more adorable printables (comes in lots of colors!) from Paper Coterie that are perfect for Mother's Day, and every other day for that matter! Download Love printables

We hope you have a great weekend and have fun choosing what to print! Aren't FREE things awesome? We sure think so! Enjoy!

Happy Friday to our favorite readers ever! I've been really excited to share this tutorial with you! I wanted to hang canvas prints of my kiddos in a unique way. Add some wire, screws, and clamps, and I think I came up with something pretty cool!

Industrial Faux Canvas Collage

Everyone loves gallery-wrapped canvases these days, and why wouldn't you? They're fabulous! Although, we don't know about you, but sometimes $60.00+ for one print is a wee bit hard for us to swallow. We were super excited to hear that WalMart came out with a faux canvas:

Now what, you ask, is a faux canvas? Well, we were wondering the same thing, so of course we tried it out. What they do is print your photo on heavy, dimpled paper (canvas look-alike) and then wrap it around a cardboard box. Sounds glamorous, huh? Let me tell you that for the price, we were thrilled!

And, of course, we didn't pay full price… and neither should you! We used a coupon that brought the total down to $9.96 each but… it's expired. BOO! Have no fear, we've got your back! Canvas People will give you a FREE 8x10 canvas and it's not even cardboard! lol. Just use this link to get the deal.

So, you should know by now that I have 4 kids, yup FOUR, and so we got prints of each of the kiddos. We thought it would be fun to add a little boys vs. girls flare, so, inspired by Mandi's Epic Room Makeover we made two graphic canvases as well. We just used some images we found online and Picnik to create them. Sadly, Picnik is actually closing (today in fact!) but PicMonkey is the perfect replacement!

The first step was to add the screw eyes to each canvas. Just measure to the center and screw them in. Since they're made of cardboard it was crazy simple to do. (Umm, please ignore my creepy monster looking hands)

Add screw eyes to the top and bottom of each canvas except for the one which will be at the bottom of your display. The bottom canvas will only get top screw eyes.

Next, add screw eyes to the ceiling. This will require a little measuring, but you'll want them to be even. My vaulted ceiling required some additional math, but we made it work.

Here's where it got a bit tricky. The nice man at Lowe's gave us these clamps to lock the wire in place. Have you ever felt like your hands were made of stone? It's very clear that we're not surgeons. It took about 30 minutes to clamp the first side. Ugh! The hubs finally got home and it took him 30 seconds. We were just happy to have it done!

Now for the fun part! Weave the wire through the screw eyes on the top, behind the back and out the bottom. Repeat for the remaining canvases. Ok, we're all about keeping it Real on our blog, so we'll be honest here too… This is a two person job and preferably with a person you really like, because it's a tad frustrating. The canvases tend to slip down a bit and did we mention our stone hands? We promise it's all worth it in the end.

Once your canvases are threaded through, you'll want to secure the bottom one first. We used a staple gun to hold the wire in place and then added some hot glue (because they were slipping and because Jess is slightly obsessed with the stuff!)

Determine how far apart you want your canvases and adjust them accordingly. The tension of the taut wire should keep the upper canvases in place, but if you want extra support you can add some glue to each one.

The end result is a unique, industrial-looking display that we love!

I couldn't be happier with this project and the unique way to share pictures of my kids! I have to give a shout out to our photographer and friend at Salvatori Photography. These pictures are SO my kids!
This was just the first project in my breakfast room makeover, we have lots more planned. I've switched out the light fixture (thankfully!) and this weekend I'm adding avocado chairs, stenciling my table top, and more! I hope to have more to reveal next week!

So, what do you think? Is the wire style workin' for you?

Let's face it, with Halloween on one end and Christmas on the other, Thanksgiving often gets a raw deal. I know that when the holiday season is in full force, being intentional with projects and decor gets really hard. I find it so easy to scoot right by Thanksgiving, without a second thought, and dive right into Christmas stuff, so I decided to tackle a project that would keep my family centered and focused on being grateful throughout November. A Thankful Tree that can be reused every year!

Here's what you'll need to make your own:

• Canvas (mine is 18in x 24in)
• 1/2 yard-3/4 yard of fabric
• Spray Adhesive
• Spraypaint
• Mod podge (not pictured)
• Baby clothespins (not pictured)

Step 2: Locate your tree image (there are tons of free clipart images listed in Google images) and enlarge it to fit your canvas. We love the engineer prints from Staples and use them all the time. Step 3: Use a sharp-edge razor to cut the tree out. Don't worry about all the little limbs, and focus on the larger ones. This seemed super daunting, but surprisingly went quickly and smoothly. I accidentally cut a branch that I wanted to keep on (doh!) but was easily able to use tape to fix it.  

Step 4: Lay your image down on the backside of the fabric and trace it with a pen.

Step 5: Spray the fabric tree with spray starch and iron it to make it stiff. This makes cutting it out with scissors a piece of cake. Step 6: Center the tree on the canvas. Starting at the trunk, lift small sections and lightly spray with adhesive. Smooth out all of the bubbles from the center out to the edges. A little spray adhesive may get on the canvas where you don't need it, but that's ok. We'll be taking care of that later.

Step 7: Place stencils on your canvas and stencil away! I used Martha Stewart's self-adhering stencils which are awesome because you don't have to worry about them moving around while you stencil. (Insider secret: This project was originally posted on U-Create, so there was a deadline involved. I was actually stenciling this bad boy in the car in between a shift at work and tennis practice. Pure craziness, I tell you #cantwasteevenoneminute.) 

Step 8: Mod Podge the entire canvas starting at the center of the tree and working out to the edges. This will seal the tree and make it more resistant to wear and fading. And remember that spray adhesive I mentioned before? The Mod Podge takes care of hiding that, too. Score! 

It's scary at first, but dries clear! 

Step 9: Spraypaint the clothespins and adhere them to the tree with hot glue. 

Step 10: Print out our fun"thankful" labels on card stock (download them here) and cut them out using scissors. Have your family write what they're thankful on each of the tags and then clip them to the canvas.

Voila! You're done and are left with an adorable, re-useable canvas that will help your family focus on what's really important in the next two weeks. Plus, it's super cute, so it's a win-win! 

 So, that's it! I love that I can use this every year. I plan on writing the year on the back of each tag and keeping them to look through each year. I'm hoping my son won't say that he's most thankful for Cinnamon Toast Crunch every year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aannnnnd since we've officially welcomed the holiday season here on the blog, we wanted to share something exciting with you! When we were looking around for cool Christmas vinyl options to share with you, we found very few that were modern and stylish. So, since we had several requests for the vinyl phrase we used on the front door last week, we decided to create a few just for you! A limited number of Be Merry Christmas decals are now for sale in our Etsy shop at a very reasonable price- only $8!! That's a whole lot cheaper than buying a new wreath, people. And we have a couple more coming this week, so be on the lookout. Get yours now!

Let the holiday craziness begin!  

The day of love is quickly approaching, and I thought I'd let you know one of the things I'm doing. You know that Jess and I love Canvas People and we're super thrilled that they now offer square canvas options! I don't know why, but even before Instagram, I was a huge fan of square pics (call me a trendsetter! lol!) Anyhow, Canvas People has a deal for $55 off any canvas (11x11 or larger)… We did the math and guess what- it works out to…

11x11 for 11… Well, that has a nice ring to it! I've yet to do anything fun with all the pictures we took on our trip to London and Paris, and I think this deal just got me motivated! I ordered a map for Eric back in August, but it arrived all wrinkled, so I've been planing to do a little DIY project with it. I'm thinking square canvases from our trip, paired with map pieces mod podged onto plain canvas just might be pretty awesome!
Here are a few other pics I'm thinking of using.

Here's the link to get the $55 off deal! Click HERE for discount And yes, you can get $55 off any size as long as it's over 11x11, but we're just loving up that size right now!
So, do tell, what are you going to turn into canvas?

** And I just came across this adorable picture of Kaden (who's now 8-sniff, sniff) but it made me think I just might order some of the kids for the grandparents! Woohoo!

Happy Thursday! A few weeks ago, we had the priviledge of sharing this fun project on I Heart Naptime (if you haven't ever stopped over there, do it! Jamielyn is such a sweetie, and her blog is super fun!). We hope you enjoy it! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We don't know about you, but one of our favorite things to do is decorate for Christmas, and we absolutely thrive on challenging ourselves to come up with decorations that are new and different each year. Last year, we tried our hand at creating ornaments out of slices of wood, and since we loved them so much, we decided to create a piece of holiday art with them!

Here's what you'll need to make your own:

Not pictured: Liquid Nails, Grommets and Grommeter, Washi Tape Step 1: Wrap your foam core in wrapping paper. We found this fun newspaper/book page wrapping paper in the dollar bin at Target. Score! You could use spray adhesive, but we found that wrapping it worked just as well, with less mess! 

To get perfect corners without bunching, fold the corner in towards the center of your foam core, pull tight, and then fold the sides over the top. Tape down in place.

Step 2: Add grommets to the top corners of the foam core. Don't know how to add grommets? We've got you covered and can teach you. This step isn't necessary (you could hot glue your ribbon to the back), but we think it adds just the right amount of glam to our art piece. 

Step 3: Figure out the arrangement of your wood slices. We cut our birch logs with a chop saw about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick. We found our birch wood in our backyards, but usually Michael's sells these if you don't live in the boonies like we do. Then, we just laid them out on our foam core and decided which arrangement we liked best. No special scientific method needed! (We try really hard to limit the amount of math we have to do for projects. Hehe.) 

Step 4: Attach your wood slices to your"canvas". We wanted to make sure that the wood slices would stick immediately, so we used hot glue around the outside. Then to make sure the wood slices stayed permanently, we put a dab of liquid nails in the middle. It never hurts to be extra careful, right?


Step 5: Thread your ribbon through the grommets. Leave enough length so that it hangs at the height you want it. Cut the ends so they look cute.

Step 6: Add some detailing. We wanted to really make the canvas pop, so we added a strip of red Washi tape along the bottom of the canvas. It helps carry the red from the ribbon above through the entire canvas.

Hang up your canvas and start singing Christmas carols!

Yup, we're ready. Bring it on, Christmas! 

So, that's two wood projects in 2 days! Are you feeling the wood love like we are? What new twists are you doing to your holiday decor?

PS. Don't forget to send us your Christmas cards!

Ladies-and the approximately 1% of readers who are dudes-, we have awesome sponsors. They are the ones who make the rest of our posts and projects possible. Not only do they support us, but they have some pretty cool stuff in their stores. We've rounded up some of favorite items for a cozy Fall season. Make sure you don't miss the discount codes and special promotions!

1. We are digging on this Antique Thread Display Drawer from Nachokitty. It could serve so many different purposes: jewelry organizer, craft supply organizer, or pretty display for your tiny treasures. Don't stop there, though. You should definitely take a look at their Etsy shop- I could browse their finds for hours!

2. I love this Industrial Table Lamp from Lucent Lampworks! I can see it snuggled up to some pretty Fall decor on a mantel or side table. Love. it. To get 10% off your purchase use the code EC2TENOFF.

3. We're heading into the holiday season, and it's always good to have small gifts on hand for teachers, neighbors etc. Stock up on these Premium Soy Candles from CJS Eco Chic in the mini 4 oz. and you won't ever have to worry! And oh man, the holiday scents are to die for!

4. We love using non-traditional materials for headboards! How about this fireplace mantel headboard? Not bad, right? Architectural Antiques is hands-down our favorite place for incredible salvaged materials to repurpose.

5. Did you see Mandi's Epic Room Makeover. She used the Nova Trellis, from Royal Design Studio in the bathroom and well, it is fabulous. As a thank you to their 10,000 FB fans, RDS is offering 25% of all orders through Sunday with the code WELOVEU.

6. You've all been waiting for Monica's big patio reveal, and tomorrow, the wait is over! They couldn't have done it without Stone Depot, and their super helpful staff. Now's the time to build an outdoor fireplace or firepit, and they guys at Stone Depot have everything you need to make that happen!

7. We can't seem to control our love for photo canvases from Canvas People! Right now you can buy a 11 x 14 Canvas for only $15 from Canvas People and $1 of every order will be donated to help fight Breast Cancer! If you need some inspiration for what to put on a canvas, check out this post! 8. Not gonna lie, once the holiday season starts (right after Halloween, in my opinion), I often need a reminder to stop and be thankful for all that I have. This 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Print from Red Letter Words makes a perfect visual reminder of that very thing…and it looks cool, too. Check out the fun new turquoise color, too! They also have a really fun, very sweet Print of the Month focused on the value we women have, and you will receive 20% off this entire section through the end of this month. 9. We love Moo & Puppy digital paper so much, we even wrote a post about all of it's many uses! I'm really liking the fall-ish colors of the Retro Digital Scrapbook Paper. Use the discount code EC2blog20 for 20% off your order!

10. We all know that Thirty-One Gifts has cute and affordable bags, but the one item I've had my eye for over a year is this small Magazine Basket. I love it's shape and versatility! Plus, you can personalize all baskets for only a few dollars more. Right now, mention EC2Blog when you order any basket and get any second item in the catalog 31% off. To place your order, click here and shoot an email to Amanda with your order.

11.Liberty Thrift Store is hands-down our go-to thrift store. Did you know that we found the chair we reupholstered for the Nate Show there? You never know what you'll find thrifting, but it's always fun! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wait, one more thing! We're happy to announce that we're accepting new sponsors! We have a few openings that we would love to fill, so if you have a business that you think we'll love and can help you promote, send us an email at eastcoastcreativeblog@gmail.com! Seriously, what better way to sell your stuff than to have two loud, passionate, crazy women on your side?! For all the nitty-gritty info about our sponsorship opportunities, click here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Have a great day, and be sure to stop over and say hi to our wonderful sponsors!

I'm so excited to share this project today! It was by far my favorite project in the room! Lots of fabulous Nate Show viewers have contacted us over the last week asking when this tutorial was coming… well, the wait is over, here is is!

DIY Reindeer Artwork

First off, I want to give a shout out to a few bloggers that inspired this project. During a Nate Show Challenge we can't be browsing Pinterest or anything, but we do rely on remembering some cool ideas we've seen in the past and are ready to try. Check out Amber's project that she hand painted or this cool canvas on sale on Etsy for more inspiration.

Ok, now get ready, because this project is so simple that you might miss it if you blink! I didn't take any process pictures, and I really wanted to steal the artwork from Jess, so I made a new one for myself last night!

Start with a plain canvas. For Jess' I used an 11x17 and for mine I accidently bought 18x24. During the show, I quickly looked on Google images for a reindeer that I liked and found this picture.

I printed out the picture as an 8x11 and took it to Staples to blow it up for me. It cost all of $1.04! Score!

Have I mentioned that I seriously can't cut well with scissors? I actually had a"Needs Improvement" on my elementary report card for cutting…I still Need Improvement! So… instead, I cut it out using my handy, dandy, Xacto knife.

I used spray adhesive and spray paint.

First, flip your reindeer over and spray a thin layer of spray adhesive.

Position it onto your canvas and then pose for a cheesy picture. Okay, the posing is optional, but will make your hubs really happy, especially if you ask him to do it at 10:30pm!

Did I mention it was getting late? Perhaps all the fumes went to my head! Ugh!
After making sure that the template is pretty well sealed down, all you need to do is make a creepy face and spray!

Try to spray from directly above the artwork. Less paint will sneak through under the template. A little bleeding is okay and gives it a pretty cool look though.

I wanted to get the template off right away, so simply peel off to reveal your masterpiece!

Ta-Da! I'm totally in love!

Because I'm a blog slacker, my new artwork is still drying and not ready to be hung on the wall. I'll put some pictures on Facebook later.: ) Darn my procrastination!

So there you have it. Insanely simple artwork that makes a BIG impact!
Ta-Da!

We know lots of you plan to try this project. When you do, be sure to tag RHBC on Facebook so we can see your handiwork!

P.S. Confession Time: I may or may not have gotten totally sucked into my guilty pleasure (Gossip Girl) while writing this post. Feel free to email if you have any other questions. Bad blogger watching embarrassing shows!
P.S.S. How much do you love this awesome project I just found? Check out her blog and give her some RHBC love!

It's amazing to think that it's already been a year since our whirlwind season on the Nate Berkus Show. Jess and I wanted to share the full segments from our Christmas Episodes with you today, but unfortunately the widgets aren't working. Boo! Instead, we're going to share one of my favorite projects from our holiday episode. I was at Jess' house tonight for our Favorite Things Party (re-cap post coming later this week!) and she had her deer hung proudly again this year!
Also, tomorrow we're going to begin our 2012 Christmas House Tours. We're both excited to welcome you guys into our homes and show you how we fancied them up for Christmas this year!
Okay, without further ado, here's a great DIY from 2011! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm so excited to share this project today! It was by far my favorite project in the room! Lots of fabulous Nate Show viewers have contacted us over the last week asking when this tutorial was coming… well, the wait is over, here is is!

First off, I want to give a shout out to a few bloggers that inspired this project. During a Nate Show Challenge we can't be browsing Pinterest or anything, but we do rely on remembering some cool ideas we've seen in the past and are ready to try. Check out Amber's project that she hand painted or this cool canvas on sale on Etsy for more inspiration.
Ok, now get ready, because this project is so simple that you might miss it if you blink! I didn't take any process pictures, and I really wanted to steal the artwork from Jess, so I made a new one for myself last night!
Start with a plain canvas. For Jess' I used an 11x17 and for mine I accidently bought 18x24. During the show, I quickly looked on Google images for a reindeer that I liked and found this picture.

I printed out the picture as an 8x11 and took it to Staples to blow it up for me. It cost all of $1.04! Score!

Have I mentioned that I seriously can't cut well with scissors? I actually had a"Needs Improvement" on my elementary report card for cutting…I still Need Improvement! So… instead, I cut it out using my handy, dandy, Xacto knife.

I used spray adhesive and spray paint.

First, flip your reindeer over and spray a thin layer of spray adhesive.

Position it onto your canvas and then pose for a cheesy picture. Okay, the posing is optional, but will make your hubs really happy, especially if you ask him to do it at 10:30pm!

Did I mention it was getting late? Perhaps all the fumes went to my head! Ugh! After making sure that the template is pretty well sealed down, all you need to do is make a creepy face and spray!

Try to spray from directly above the artwork. Less paint will sneak through under the template. A little bleeding is okay and gives it a pretty cool look though.

I wanted to get the template off right away, so simply peel off to reveal your masterpiece!

Ta-Da! I'm totally in love!

Because I'm a blog slacker, my new artwork is still drying and not ready to be hung on the wall.
So there you have it. Insanely simple artwork that makes a BIG impact!

We Love Simple Silhouette Art! Have you tried this simple DIY yet?

I recognize that DIY art projects are not for everyone. My love for custom art was born out of necessity (read: lack of funds). Creating my own artwork works for me, and I've found out why:
1. I don't worry about ruining something I already have. With the exception of a few things, everything I own was bought second-hand or for a low price. I don't fear repurposing things, because the originals cost me almost nothing!
2. I am not afraid of change. Actually, I crave it.

3. I am not a perfectionist. Little imperfections in my art/craft projects are endearing to me. They say"I was handmade, and therefore may be flawed, but a lot of thought and care went into making me". I'm not saying perfectionists can't create art (because I'm sure most real artists are perfectionists), it's just easier for me to say this picture is"good enough", than someone who wants everything to be perfect.
Ok, that's that. Recently I bought a yard of fabric for a project (stay tuned for more on that!) that I fell in love with. I ended up having some extra fabric left over that I wanted to use somewhere- anywhere!- in my house. I was feeling inspired by a gift bag in which my husband had wrapped my birthday present. I decided to combine my fabulous fabric, the cute bird, old frames, and some patterned scrapbooking paper into one art project!

First, I started with the bird stencil (the bag had a 3D bird on it, so I just ripped it off to use as a stencil). I laid it onto the back of the fabric in the opposite direction I wanted it to face, and then traced it. After that, I carefully cut along the line, flipped it over, and then mounted it to the scrapbook paper, using regular, old tape!

My husband insisted that this poor bird needed legs, so I drew two legs freehand and cut them out of the fabric, as well. Then I put the whole thing together and…

Voila!

I used the same method with my second art piece, but used the fabric as the background and the scrapbooking paper as the bird. I didn't have a smaller stencil, so I again, I freehanded the bird.

Then I had Kevin hang them on an empty wall in our living room. (I promise that these two pictures are level, it's just a wierd angle)

I love the way the pictures look as I enter the living room, and that I can see them from my kitchen table. Makes that room feel one step closer to completion, or until I'm ready to redo the entire room again for the third time.: ) I may not keep these pictures forever, but for now, they are a cheap solution. Below are some images from a few other bloggers of artwork they created using what they had on hand, or a few inexpensive items they purchased. Click on link under the image for specific instructions on how they made these beautiful pieces of art.

The Nester
The Nester simply scoured her home for items that would look good grouped together in a frame. This could easily be done finding stuff on a hike out in the woods, or on a trip to the beach.

Martha Stewart
These prints were made using memorabilia from trips (like tickets, maps, postcards etc) that were blown up and then framed.

Ashley Ann Photography This is not everyone's style, but these two canvas prints were made for a nursery, and were created using a canvas, scrapbook paper, mod podge (amazing stuff!), and a little paint. Adorable and easy!

Isabella & Max
This look is much more sophisticated and elegant. This piece of art hung above the couch was made using a canvas, paint and a few different paint brushes, and nail heads. My sister who regularly tells us that she is not creative, painted three canvases in varying shades of colors that now hang above her fireplace, that are similar to this one.

Jess and I think today's Fab Find is pretty darn fabulous… It's our"Contact Us" tab! Now, before you tune me out, give this post a chance!

We thought we'd share a recent question that we got from one of our readers! We love hearing from all of you and we want to hear from you even more! We got the following message from a reader"Jess" (and no, we did not send ourselves a fake email just to make us feel good!) Here's her message:
Hi Girls — love your site! So I wanted to ask if you might be doing a post on nursery ideas in the near future (or maybe you've already done so). I'll need to start planning in the next few months…we don't have a lot of space to work with and don't want to spend a lot of money (of course). If you could point me in the direction of any good websites with simple but modern ideas, that would be great. Thanks, you girls are amazing! So… Thanks for your email Jess and here's our answer for ya! Nursery Ideas on a Budget Since I wasn't exactly sure what style the fabulous Jess wants for her nursery, I thought we'd just focus on a few money saving ideas that will still have a big impact. (Click on any of the pictures below for more info) 1. Don't tie yourself down to Babies R Us… Sure everyone thinks they need the standard, crib, changing table, armoire matchy matchy combo, but I beg to differ. Flea market, Salvation Army, Restore, and Craigslist can be your very BFF when furnishing your nursery. I love using a dresser for a changing table and there are plenty of little DIY add ons you can do to make it safe for the little one. Of course I adore this yellow buffet-turned-changing-table… does it remind you of this post?

Source: None via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
Just to prove this, I took 60 seconds and found this piece on Craigslist for $20!! Seriously, I'm tempted to buy it myself! New Paint and this piece would be amazing!

Another repurposed piece. I also love the storage idea they used. You don't have to commit to the standard canvas bins. These little details can go a long way.

Source: blondiensc.typepad.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
2. Make your storage pretty, so it counts as art… This is huge when you're wanting to be a frugal fanny. Rather than adding a million accessories and details that add up in cost, just make the practical things cute! I love these fabric book shelves and just think of all the possibilities because there are a bajillion fabrics in the world to choose from. (Yes, bajillion is a real number in my world).

Source: pennycarnival.typepad.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
I think these planters-turned-storage-bins are adorable. Now would be a great time to buy these because most likely they're on clearance at Lowes and Home Depot.

Source: centsationalgirl.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
3. Use fabric… I wanted some witty name, but really, all I mean is just use fabric. Sure fabric can be expensive, but you can also find great clearance fabrics. Using fabric as part of your decor is both adorable and can be economical.

Source: lh6.googleusercontent.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest I don't sew. {GASP!} How can she be a blogger and not sew! Well, don't get your panties all in a knot… I have a bundle of fusible web and also a grandmother-in-law that lends a hand. The moral of my confession is that you don't need to sew to make cool things with fabric. It's amazing what you can do with a good pair of scissors. I haven't tried this fabric idea, but it's on my list of things to try. Simply wrap inexpensive painter's canvas with fabric and hang… instant art!

Source: conspicuousstyle.com via Cami on Pinterest
4. Paint your way to a pretty cool nursery… I love using a $30 can of paint to make a HUGE impact in a room. Paint has a crazy return on investment and just takes a little time and creativity. a few years ago I helped a friend do this bold wall for her twin boys' nursery.

Obviously, I am in love with this nursery for about a million reasons, but look at that chevron wall. Tape + Paint = simply awesome. There's so much you can do with paint and if you choose something bold enough, you won't need much in the way of art.

Source: madebygirl.blogspot.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest No budget for moulding? Just paint it on… how cool is this? The pictures alone are beautiful, but the border really makes it a focal point and hikes up the awesomeness factor.

Source: potterybarnkids.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
5. Pin before you begin… If you haven't yet, join Pinterest and get inspired! It's amazing how creative people are, so head on over and make a plan.

So Jess, I hope this has gotten your creative juices flowing! You're definitely going to have to share your finished product with us so we can share it with everyone! We hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well and we're so excited for you guys to welcome your little one into the world!
-Monica (& Jess) So, there you have it… Contact Us! Who knows you might just get your very own post too!

Are you ready for the 2012 Summer Olympics? Are your kids into it at all? Hopefully this Olympic craft idea will begin to get them in the spirit of the games! Do you have time for a short story? My 4th grade year of school was an Olympic year and my teacher did all kinds of crafts and activities to help us get into the spirit of the Olympics and it rocked! I was SO into the games, the medal counts, and learning about the countries. So, thanks to Mrs. Hanson, here's our first Olympic Craft Idea!

How cool is that canvas? My hubs was telling Kaden that people pay big bucks for cool art like this! I even love the blue paint spill and I love even more that Kade is so laid back that he didn't even mind or think it"ruined" his artwork!
(And just so you know, every pic in this post was taken with my iPhone, because it was really just going to be a mommy-Kaden craft, not a blog post, but it turned out too cool not to share!)

Materials: Blank Canvas (paper would work too) Red, Green, Blue, Black, and Yellow paint (any type works- we had an assortment!) 5 Dixie Cups
Now for my disclaimer. I nabbed this idea from pinterest, but I didn't have toilet paper rolls, so just as I was about to unroll 5 rolls of TP, the brilliant idea of Dixie Cups hit me! Same shape, and no need to unroll my precious toilet paper! (Anyone else find it so annoying that TP is expensive?)

Since this craft is for the kiddos, there's really no instruction needed. Dip, Spin, do whatever to get paint on the cups and then go to town!

Kaden loves to craft. He loves gym etc. at school, but he told me that secretly, art class is his favorite. <3 Just don't tell all of his friends okay? I told him art is cool and he doesn't need to worry about it, his secret is safe with me!

I love how he spaced out his circles and didn't"over-do" them. I promise, I didn't even go into pushy, mom-thinks-you-should-do-this mode. This was all him.

This project was super simple, didn't take much time or prep, and my little man loved it. I guess you could say this Olympic craft is kid-tested and mother approved. What are you doing to make the Olympics Special for your kids?

**Oh and check back tomorrow, because I have an awesome Olympic Printable that my kids freaked out over! **

This project was featured in an episode of our DIY show Knock It Off. To watch this episode online, click HERE.

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We’re going to let you in on one of our favorite trade secrets: giant, engineer-sized prints! If you're one of our fabulous blog readers, you already know that this is kind of our go-to trick for dressing up a wall.

Choose and order the pictures you want to use. You could go with family shots, favorite sayings or even printable artwork found online. We've even shared some of our very own free printables here, here and here. The giant geometric-looking heart in this gallery wall came from one of our favorite places for downloadable art: The Caravan Shoppe. Make sure your images are high-resolution for the clearest picture possible and take them to any office supply store. Ask them to create engineer prints- our pics were 4 feet by 3 feet and only cost about $5 a piece! You can only get them printed in black and white, but for a gallery wall this size, that’s perfect and looks really classy.

Now we’re going to mount the pictures to the “canvas”. We chose to use foam insulation panels because they’re inexpensive and easy to cut. Trim to the appropriate size. (If you want something already pre-cut, go with foam core from the office supply store. You’ll pay more, but won’t have to make cuts!) Cut your sheet of insulation so that your photo is 2 inches bigger all the way around.
Lay the engineer print over the cut insulation panel and fold back halfway. Spray with adhesive, lay it back down, smoothing out the wrinkles as you go. Do the same thing to the other half. Now wrap the canvas like a present! Fold the corner of one side in towards the middle of the panel and staple into place. Continue pulling the print around the entire insulation board and staple into place as you go.

A wall of gallery-wrapped canvases can be super pricey, but not if you do it our way! Honestly, this is one of our favorite insider tips…but shhhhh…let's let this trick be our little secret.: ) And seriously, if I looked that good, I would have engineer prints of myself all over my house!

We've used engineer prints in our own homes lots of times. These projects are some of our absolute favorites, and make a huge statement!
Jess' Giant, Shaped Frame with Engineer Prints

Monica's Ginormous Industrial Art

Don't forget to check out the other projects in the room here.

Well, it's about time we got back to business! Remember this?

and this picture?

Notice anything missing? Ok, I'll spell it out for you. My living room has been shaping up quite nicely, but was in desperate need of window treatments. I had been planning on using drop cloths to make valances for some time, but hearing that we were going to be on the Nate Berkus Show forced me into action! Drop cloths are awesome to use because 1) they are a neutral color, so they work with almost any color scheme; 2) are ridiculously inexpensive; and 3) require no sewing, because they have finished hems and seams!  Here's what you'll need:

(2) 5x5 canvas drop cloths (1) 6x9 canvas drop cloth (2) rolls 1/4 inch brown grosgrain ribbon (1) roll 1/4 inch Stich Witchery Iron Ruler Staple Gun (although you could use a hot glue gun, I guess) Damp kitchen towel (4) Cornice boards *(My windows had these already from the previous owners, but you can find instructions on how to make your own here.)

The first and most important step is measuring, measuring, measuring! I (with the help of my trusty helper, my mom: ) measured the length of the cornice board and cut drop cloth to the length we needed. The 5x5 drop cloth was the perfect length, so we didn't have to worry about making any cuts for the width of the board. We decided on a length of 16 inches, so that the valance would hang down about 15 inches from the top of the cornice board.

From here on out, you won't find many pictures of the process because I was feeling REALLY pressed for time (we literally finished making and hanging these the night before the Nate Show crew arrived!) Basically, after measuring and cutting, we decided to put in a simple box pleat at the center of each valance.

1. We measured the exact center of our piece of fabric, and then 3 inches out on either side of the center mark. (so our pleat would be a total of 6 inches wide) 2. From there we, folded the 3 inch mark towards the center mark and taped it in place. 3. Repeat with the opposite side That's it for the box pleat!

(this was obviously taken at night. Sorry!)
Then, following the instructions on the Stich Witchery, we adhered the grosgrain ribbon right about the hem on the bottom of the valance. (This includes virtually no effort or time- just steam the stitch witchery with an iron, press the ribbon on top, place a damp cloth on top and iron for 10 seconds!) This tied in perfectly with a lamp I have in the room, and was a very simple addition that really dressed up the valance.

Finally, we folded about 1/2 inch to an inch of fabric over the top of the cornice board and stapled it in place with a staple gun. Then, my hubs mounted the cornice boards several inches ABOVE the windows (about 7 inches down from the ceiling) to make it look like we have higher ceilings and bigger windows then we actually have.: )

They really complete the room, don't they? During the day they have such a light and airy feel, which I love, because the light shines through them. I wish you could all see them in person- they are perfect for the space!

The grand total for this project cost me right around $32.00! FOR 4 WINDOW TREATMENTS (plus one cute table runner)! I think I'm in love with them.
Who knew a drop cloth could be so fabulous?!!

Linking up to: Tutorials & Tips and Tip Me Tuesday

As you know, we're chatting about Spring Things on the blog. One thing that bloggers and DIYers seem to get all jazzed up about is mantles. Decorating a seasonal mantle is a must, or so it seems. Well, I have a confession… I really struggle with the whole seasonal mantle thing. My darn TV gets in the way and stunts my creativity. So… rather than focusing on my mantle, I've scoured the web for the BEST Spring Mantles Around! If you want to see oodles more, check out the always fabulous Layla, who's hosting a link up right now!

Actually, let's get started with The Lettered Cottage's Spring 2012 Mantle: What I love:-It looks effortless, like"Oh my mantle just sort of did this fabulous arrangement on it's own, and it was so pretty that these butterflies came through the window and joined without me knowing." -I love the pop of green in the basket. It's really cool and you know I love me some kelly green! What I wish:-I wish that when I put things on my mantle with the desire for it to look natural and organically arranged, it didn't look like I let my kids help decorate.

Source: theletteredcottage.net via The Real Housewives on Pinterest

Two Thirty-Five Designs Spring 2012 Mantle:What I love:-I love, love, love (notice 3 loves means I REALLY love it) that it's non-traditional, but still has some tradtional elements. Notice, there are little robins egg-type vase filler, but it's not all"in your face over-the-top Easter Eggy" -I love that the colors and bright and make me feel like spring, but aren't pastel. What I Wish: I wish I could paint an awesome canvas like that. Yup, she actually painted it herself!

Source: twothirtyfivedesigns.blogspot.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
Remodelando la Casa's Spring 2012 Mantle What I love:-Again, loving that it's non-traditional… are you seeing a pattern here? _-Love that the simple, stark look of it totally reminds me of spring. I'm getting all English teacher-y on you here, but the empty frames and lots of negative space make me think about how during spring, I feel like my yard is empty and just waiting to be filled with all kinds of cool growing things. Then she was genius and put the branches again reminding me of what's to come. I have no clue what the G is for, but I'm going to go with Grow. Okay, enough lessons in symbolism. What I wish: -I wish my darn TV wasn't on the wall so I could do something just like this!

Source: remodelandolacasa.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest

Four Generations One Roof's Spring 2012 Mantle What I love:-I love the canvas panels! They are fabulous and want to know something awesome?? There are kids dump-truck artwork behind them! Yup! Talk about a good upcycle! -I also love the rope lamp bases. I know Jess would be diggin' them to! What I wish:I wish that I didn't have plans tonight so that I could do a quick, fabric wrap DIY project STAT! (Okay, I only semi-wish that, because I'm going on a big ole' group date out for dinner and to see The Hunger Games! I will have to DIY later!)

Source: fourgenerationsoneroof.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest

Last, but so not least… Christina's Adventures' Spring 2012 Mantle What I love:-I am so in love with the glazed, layered frames. If you want to glaze a frame, we wrote a great tutorial a while back. -I love that she just wrapped two books with fabric -Even though I'm not usually a tulip girl, or a fan of pink, the color combo here is just perfect. What I wish:-I really wish Christina would come here and do my mantle for me! -Oh and one more thing I love… look at that pitcher. The metal finish is so cool!

Source: christinasadventures.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest

There's my wrap up… It almost makes me want to go decorate the dreaded TV mantle… hmm. And, we don't really do linky parties here at RHBC, but we'd love to see what your mantle or decorated shelf looks like. Leave us a link in the comments to your Spring Mantle!

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This picture is an absolute favorite of mine, for several reasons. First, it perfectly captures the way Kevin feels about C1 and the love he has for her. It also clearly shows how much C1 enjoys being with him. Secondly, it brings back such great memories of the boating trip we went on last year on our family vacation; the weather was perfect, the scenery was idyllic (we saw dolphins!), the kids were well-behaved, and we were getting to spend quality time with my family. It's just priceless to me!

I want to do something with this picture, but I haven't felt any particular inspiration as to what, yet. Here are two possibilities: Modern Bird Studios- Sleek and Modern Modern Bird Studios creates personalized, modern art from your photographs. Each work is a one-of-a-kind, original studio piece created with a combination of digital, hand, and painting processes on an Oak composite, or, for the extreme modern enthusiasts, on acrylic mounted to Oak.

These prints are really fun, and would be a great addition to our basement game room/play area.
Canvas People- Traditional and Timeless

I do love the simplicity and beauty of a wrap-around canvas.
That's as far as I've gotten. Maybe you can help me. Suggestions, please!
Do you have a favorite photo? What is it and why do you love it so much? *When you comment, if you are able, add a link to a location where we can see your favorite picture (facebook, blog etc.) We'd love to see them!

I received a request to post on my collection of transfer ware. I have three different patterns, a collection that started when I inherited my Grandmother's red transfer ware.

They were her everyday dishes that I grew up with. She lost many of the original plates in the California earth quakes. However, it was a pattern that continued to be made, so she was able to order replacements.

This is the mark on the back.

I display the red after Thanksgiving as they're part of my Christmas decorations. They stay up until spring, when it's time to display my teal blue transfer ware.

I bought these at an antique store in Washington state. They were on clearance and I almost passed them up thinking that although they were so beautiful, what would I everdo with them? That is the day I thought of putting up my different collections by season — and that is how I rationalized buying them!

This is the mark on the back.

This was taken last spring....which was the first spring I displayed them on the shelves.

The brown transfer ware goes up in fall. I came upon my brown transfer ware at Marshall's department store, and thought they would be perfect dishes to use for Thanksgiving.

This is the mark on the back of the plate.

If we didn't have the open shelves in the kitchen, I don't think I would have started collecting the other two patterns. But the open shelves are like a blank canvas, and can create a completely new look for the kitchen depending on what I put on them.
Soon I will be taking down the red transfer ware and putting up the teal blue bird transfer ware. This time, I'm going to try something different and attempt to create less of a kitchen feel and more of a 'room' feel.
Jennifer at The Newlywed Diaries posted on this look here and I really love it! So we'll see how I do — suggestions always welcome!

Yesterday we shared 25 awesome upcycle projects and Ikea hacks, but we wanted to give you some of the juicy details for a couple of the projects we actually tackled during our crazy Women's Night Out White Box Challenge.

Wall Paint Colors
First, the paint colors. Everyone always ask us what colors we use and we never remember to share! Well, this is going to change! We're even going to try to get our acts together and post our color palettes for each of our Knock it Off episodes. One of these days!! Anyway, our bland room started off with Oxford Tan (from Lowes) walls, lightened by 25%. In our 30 minute intermission, the top portion quickly got covered in Classic Teal, which is a gorgeous, rich blue. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw us use that color again- loved it!

Furniture Paint Colors
The dresser got decked out in four different colors, which really added a lot of interest. We are in love with the color-blocking trend and were excited to give it a go with these inexpensive Rast dressers from Ikea. We used Tuxedo Tie on the frame, English Tea Party on the bottom drawers, Mountain Smoke on the middle drawers and Bamboo Leaves on the top drawers (all from Lowes). Such fun colors that matched our fabrics perfectly! We definitely would have liked to build a base for our new buffet so that it would sit higher, but unfortunately, we ran out of time. So, take note if you're planning on giving this upcycle a try.: )

We shared a whole bunch of fun ideas for painted rugs, but this one that Monica did last summer is definitely our favorite: quick, easy and cute! Check out her Stenciled Outdoor Rug for the step by step deets!

This tufted Lack table turned ottoman was a big hit with the ladies during our event and it's a super simple upholstery project that any one can handle.

This past spring, I made this Ikea Lack Ottoman using the same method as above. The only difference is that we added tufting to the one we made during the White Box Challenge. It looks so good I might just have to add some to mine!
Here's the cheater way to add tufts: 1. Follow steps for upholstering the table. 2. Mark where you want to place your tufts. 3. Use a button-making kit to create some cute buttons using your fabric, or buy pre-bought buttons to use. 4. Using a staple gun, shoot a 3/4 inch staple through the fabric, batting and foam on the mark you made. This creates the tuft, without having to drill through the table and bringing sewing into the equation. 5. Hot glue your buttons in place. That's it!!

We love the way this nail head trim dressed up our plain, old white chair. They were so simple to attach and took this chair to a whole new level!

In fact, it wasn't our first time using nail head detailing- we upholstered a chair and added nail heads for one of our Nate Show episodes!

Finally, this upcycled art was definitely the fan favorite of the night. You wouldn't believe how easy it was to do and what an awesome impact it makes.

If you want to know how to make your own, Monica took this old piece of art and made a completely custom canvas for her powder room using a stencil, spray paint and her silhouette machine.

Phew! I think we touched on everything, but if you were at the event and still have questions, leave us a comment! There aren't many things that are as gratifying and budget-friendly as upcycyling. I'm serious, people. Go give it a try!

A grapevine wreath is one of the most country wreath forms out there. Usually, you picture it with some burlap, a few country stars, or something that you would never think of calling modern. We were excited when Wayfair asked if they could send us a grapevine wreath to see what we'd do with it for our fall decor.

Immediately we decided we wanted to try and go for a more modern, on-trend grapevine wreath! We quickly picked a color palette that is less than traditional for fall, but still really fun! We used these three Martha Stewart paint colors we had on hand.

Now, just keeping it real here… we tried a few options before we landed on one we liked. I don't have good pics of our failed attempts, but here are a few things we tried… Wrapping the wreath in silver duct work tape- it just looked like messy aluminum foil gone wrong… Wrapping individual little sections with embroidery floss- we loved the ideas and look, but it would have taken about 294753 hours and was far too annoying… But, that look inspired our final version…
We used the paint to fill in little sections to almost look like they were thread wrapped. Then, we used a silver metallic Sharpie to make all the thin wrapped pieces look like metal wire.

After painting some geometric shapes on the wreath hanger, we had a Modern Grapevine Wreath. Who knew?

We liked it, but wanted to tweak it just a little bit more, so we wrapped a plain canvas in striped black and white fabric and used 3M Command Strips to attach it to the door as a backdrop for the wreath.

We were instantly so much happier! The stripes added just what we needed to make us fully embrace the grapevine wreath!

Wayfair asked 10 bloggers to try their hand at a grapevine wreath. Click HERE to go check them all out! There are some really pretty wreath ideas!

And, if you don't want to make your own fall wreath (WHAT!) Wayfair has a huge selection and can hook you up!

What do you think of our modern take on grapevine? What would YOU do with a plain grapevine?

New to the blog? This is Part 2 of a series on my discovery to creating a home that is comfortable and stylish. I find that thinking about the places I've been that have really impacted me and that I fell in love with, helps me discern what styles I want to incorporate in my home. Each place has a certain feel that I would love to capture at home. To read Part 1, click here.

Have you ever been to Nantucket? (Sigh) It's probably my favorite place on the planet, other than my bed, and I think about it often. It is an island off the coast of Massachusetts that has a distinct New England feel. It's a combination of classic/preppy and casual/coastal. The homes on the island don't go for sale very often because they are passed down through generations, but when they do, they cost a pretty penny. Worth every bit, I'm sure.

Source: superstock.com via Jessica on Pinterest
I remember riding my bike right past this little, rose-covered gem with a white picket fence. Dreamy.

Source: inspireddecorating.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
The towns (and there are only 2 on the island, I think) has great cobblestone walkways throughout.

Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest
If I could wake up in this room every morning, I'd be a happy woman. Lots of neutral tones, but the wooden bed and brick step add warmth and depth. And oh, the gallery wall and french doors leave me breathless. I get like that sometimes over rooms. No big deal. {Ahem}

Source: etsy.com via Jessica on Pinterest
I love this painting. I'm already trying to figure out how to recreate one for cheap. More on that later.: )

Source: cottages-gardens.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Source: chameleon-interiors.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest
Cedar shingles are so elegant and classic. They start out a light tan, and then as they weather, turn into that gorgeous, moody gray.

Source: inspiracionline.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Source: brightboldbeautiful.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest
Of course, you have to enjoy a good, old-fashioned lobster bake when on the island, and who wouldn't want to do that in this adorable space? Aren't those red and orange stools fabulous? And the chandeliers are awesome too, and are totally an easy DIY project!

Source: canvas.landsend.com via Susie on Pinterest
Even this outfit screams"Nantucket" and, if I could, I would wear that every day of my life. Yes, even for my kid's weddings, in case you were wondering.

Source: traditionalhome.com via Natasha on Pinterest
So cozy. I adore the faded blues and tans, and the fabric on that pillow.

Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest
So, hopefully, now you understand my love for all things Nantucket. Stay tuned for Part 3 later this week!

It's good to be back from vacation. Happy Monday, everyone!