Rain, Rain, Go Away

The weather these days is driving me a bit nuts.  It's ten times better than snow, of course, and generally, I love rainy, gloomy days.  Sitting by the window and reading/writing is very relaxing when raindrops are tapping on your roof.  One or two days like this is just fine.  When it becomes a week, it gets a little old.  But until the sun comes out and the puddles dry up, I'll have to deal with it...to make the weather more bearable, I've rounded up some pretty things that make the rain look stylish.  Check it out below!

(left to right):

Singing in the Rain Umbrella (from ShopBop) - a cute way to protect your hair from the drops

Rainy Day Bureau (from Humblesticks) - an easily customizable DIY

"Clouds" wallpaper (from Aimee Wilder) - adorable in a child's playroom

Umbrella necklace with glass raindrop (from Etsy) - delicate and whimsical

"Rainy Day" throw pillow cover (from Etsy) - handmade and in my favorite colors!

Rainy Day nail art (from LacqLustre) - actually inspired by Morton's salt!

"Write like a motherf*cker" coffee mug (from The Rumpus) - my favorite thing to do on a rainy day

"Splish Flash" rain boot (from Modcloth) - pink polka dots with a sweet bow on the back

xoxochelsea

Cyber Saturday

How was everyone's week?  I spent mine mostly staring at my phone, having little adventures with Jared, and playing a video game called Rain - if you're a PS3 owner, definitely check it out; it's more like a piece of interactive art than a game!  The weather has been gloomy and wet, and it's making me feel pretty gloomy too.  I am more than ready for flip-flops and sun!  Here are some links worth noting from around the Internet this week!

The Barnes and Noble blog did an awesome list about problems that only book nerds have.  Almost all of these applied to me, especially number 56 (mispronouncing words because you've never actually heard them out loud, only in books) and number 83 ("I just want to look really quick" - famous last words, spoken just before you enter the bookstore).  Too true!

Buzzfeed posted an amazing collection of terrible MS Paint drawings that summarize entire Harry Potter movies.  This one - summarizing the last movie - was my favorite.  LOLs for dayyyyys!  (Except RIP Snape, love you forever.)

I think it was HGTV Magazine that featured this Etsy seller, who sells geometric throw pillow covers that you can color yourself!  All you need to create your masterpiece is a fabric marker or some paint and a brush.  It also comes in a heart design.

Buzzfeed recently posted a checklist of the most iconic kids' movies of the 90s, including movies like Home Alone, Casper, and Hocus Pocus.  Unfortunately, I have only seen about 75 percent of them; I will definitely be coming back to this list to catch up on my movie-watching!

Gorgeous Shiny Things, one of my favorite home decor blogs, posted a makeover she did on a beat-up old table she found on the side of the road.  She gave it some TLC and a whole lot of paint (click on the link for the DIY!), and turned it into this gorgeous bamboo-inspired side table!

I only just discovered Bows and Sequins - a fashion blog that offers reasonable and affordable outfits, for a change - and I am loving it!  I have been curious about overalls for a while now; I did, after all, used to work them pretty hard when I was in third grade.  She shows you how to wear them over here, and instead of looking silly and ill-fitting, they look very comfy and flattering (as flattering as overalls can be, anyway).  These are from American Eagle and are surprisingly affordable!

Also, head over to check out my other blog, where I posted all sorts of things!  An interview with a puppy mill dog rescuer, a sweet Jack Russell terrier searching for a home, and a feature about National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day!

Have a good weekend!

xoxochelsea

  

Candy + Pastel Pinspiration

I have been cruising Pinterest lately for some springy inspiration, and my Lord, did I find it.  I mean, there is seriously no end to the prettiness that Pinterest is always able to offer up!  It's ridiculous!  If left unchecked, I could easily waste away hours on there.  Most of the things that ended up catching my eye were candy-colored pastels, which have always appealed to me and I would love to wear all the time...unfortunately, pastels aren't exactly designed to look good on ghostly-pale people.  Here are my prettiest finds!

Pastel candy canes + chevron and periwinkle capris + Easter egg hued jeans

Candy necklaces + Paul & Joe pearl makeup + gorgeous pastel-painted doors

Lavender Peeps Bunnies + Kelly Osbourne's awesome head of hair (SO wish I could pull this off!)

Easter candy corn + perfect spring manicure

Easter candy bark (isn't it pretty?!) + springy boat shoes + beautiful houses in Greece 

Mint green chocolate candies + pastel green trench, stripes, and peach skinnies (love this combo!) 

Pastel orange sugar buttons + muted MAC lipstick

Cotton candy + chambray shirt and blush-pink jeans

Pastel licorice bites + beautiful jewel-box bedroom + cozy pastel breakfast nook

Some beautiful spring eye candy to help get you through the week!  :)

Also, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE hop on over to my animal blog, where there is a homeless, abused, senior chihuahua who needs your help.  If you know of anyone in California who would give Baby a home in which to spend her remaining years, please contact these people...her story is heartbreaking, and she deserves a second chance.  Thank you so much for reading.

xoxochelsea

Spring Shopping List

The first day of spring was this week, and for once, it actually felt appropriate!  Normally, the first day of spring will roll around, and it will dump down loads of snow or the roads will ice over.  But not this year - it was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining and the birds were chirping, and I finally got to break out the cuffed jeans + boat shoes and take Riley on a walk.  Yeah, there was still snow on the ground...but it wasn't annoyingly covering the road like it usually is this time of year.

Of course, by saying this, I'm probably jinxing the nice weather and we'll end up having a huge blizzard over the weekend.  But such is life :)  Anyway, the few first nice days of the season got me in the mood to shop.  I'm not sure what this says about me, but I always immediately think about shopping for clothes whenever the season changes.  It probably has something to do with the extra-thick fashion magazines that are issued, announcing the "newest trends" ("Florals for spring?  Groundbreaking." - Meryl Streep in Devil Wears Prada).  Whatever the case, Jared and I are going on a miniature trip this weekend, and I'm hoping to score lots of great deals!  Here's what's on my list of things to look for:

1.  Steve Madden Pony Hair Flat - I don't think I would be a fan of wearing legit pony hair on my feet (although let's not kid ourselves; I wear leather all the time and I know perfectly well where it comes from :/ ), but I do have to admit that these slip-on sneakers are very cute and on-trend.  They would go really well with some cuffed, distressed jeans and a plain V-neck tee.  They look super comfy too!

2.  Floral jeans pinned by this site - If anyone has any more information about these pants, please let me know!  I love them!  I know, I know, florals come into style EVERY spring.  But I think printed pants are so fun, and I love the color combo of this screen-printed pair.  (I have a green floral pair that my sister says makes me look like a grandma on vacation in Florida.  I don't completely disagree.  But I'm okay with it.)

3.  Neon multicolor earrings (found on Etsy via Pinterest, no longer available) - There are a lot of bright, sparkly earrings out there right now, and I love these neon ones.  I also like these from J. Crew, but that store is too damn expensive for me.  I wear my fanciest earrings with a plain white top, jeans, and a messy high ponytail.  I'm not sure why, I just really like how they can make a casual outfit look like "fashion".

4.  Turquoise nail polish like Essie's Hide and Go Chic - I'm not big on manicures, mostly because I suck at painting my own nails and they chip literally within five minutes.  But I always have my toes painted, and in the spring/summer, the brighter the better.  I'm looking for a bright, swimming pool blue to wear on my toes this summer.

5.  Exercise tanks like this geeky one - If you have read my blog, you'll know that my husband and I are super-nerds.  While Jared is more of the computer-geek type and I tend to be more of a book-nerd, we both love old-school video games.  This vintage-Nintendo-inspired workout tank (that says "Training to be a Legend") goes all the way back to the very first Legend of Zelda.  I hate working out, but God knows I need to start, and cute workout clothes might get me more in the mood to actually use them.

6.  Summery hat like this one from J.Crew - Let me first just say that I would never be able to pull this off.  I like to picture myself wearing a big straw hat on the beach with some sort of pretty, patterned maxi dress...but I own a straw fedora that I have worn like twice and took it off both times because I felt so stupid.  I am just way too self-aware to wear something that could potentially make me look dumb.  Plus my husband would never stop laughing at me.  But it's nice to dream :)

7.  American Eagle lace baseball hat - I actually just purchased almost this exact hat yesterday, except my version is eyelet instead of lace.  This is a hat that actually doesn't look too silly on me...I like the way it makes a dressy and feminine outfit look less so.  It's sporty but still very girly.

8.  Etsy tribal-print scarf - I'm one of those people that wear scarves in the spring/summer.  I know it doesn't make sense, and sure, the back of my neck frequently gets sweaty.  But I think a lightweight, gauzy scarf looks great over a solid-color tank, and it can really add a lot to an outfit.  I bought a scarf like this yesterday as well; the neon colors plus an Aztec-y print makes it pretty trendy.

9.  Anthropologie mint watch - I will admit that I don't need this.  I have one like it in white already...but I loooove mint green!  The gold face gives this watch an extra something special.

What's on your spring shopping list?

xoxochelsea

Cyber Saturday!

I've got a little bit of everything here for you today - it's been a particularly inspiring week Internet-wise.  :)  Enjoy, and don't forget to check out my everything-animal round-up over on my other blog!

I'm sure everyone has seen this video already - and honestly, we're all getting a little sick of the Frozen soundtrack by now - but this is pretty wonderful.  I especially love their daughter in the backseat, yawning and generally paying no attention to her dorky parents.  (Also, if anyone figures out where the wife got her glittery shirt from, could ya let me know?  That'd be great. :)  )  

Huffington Post has a great round-up of easy and quick St Patrick's day crafts that are great for kids too.  I love this paint chip-inspired one!

Little Free Libraries are spreading around cities like wildfire.  This writer over on Book Riot loved the local-lending-library idea so much, she decided to build one in her own front yard!  It was built to mimic her house's appearance, and the neighborhood seems to love it.  If I lived in a more metropolitan area (as opposed to population 400, give or take a few senior citizens), this is definitely something I would do.

This video makes me appreciate Sarah Jessica Parker and her wit just a little bit more.  Prior to viewing this video (and her adorable little brownstone), I just sort of associated her with her character Carrie Bradshaw and that annoying little squeal she always did.  But this Vogue interview was snappy (if obviously rehearsed) and fun.

Penny Pincher Fashion did a great round-up of the sporty-chic trend that's popping up everywhere.  (I really like the fashionable sneaker trend, but I don't know about track pants as evening-wear.  Haven't warmed up to that one yet.)  But blinged-out sweatshirts and sneakers are definitely right up my alley; I love the embellished black ones in the second row and the Converse slip-ons in the bottom right corner.  Click the link to see where you can buy these shoes!

Ellen Seidman wrote an amazing article for Huffington Post about her son, who has cerebral palsy but is not defined by it.  " 'Oh, poor thing,' she said, as if I had just mentioned that he had three weeks left to live.  'He's just your average awesome kid,' I responded."  She writes about how, though the sympathy always comes from a good place, she wants her son to be treated with equality rather than sympathy.  I work as a paraprofessional with students with various special needs, and while other people might think of them as unfortunate or disabled, I only see kids - really awesome kids.

Buzzfeed featured a list of the various popular songs that Vitamin String Quartet has covered.  Though I love them all, I especially appreciate how they managed to transform the much-overplayed "Royals" into something new and different.  (I love the Vitamin String Quartet so much, I even walked down the aisle to their version of "Chasing Cars".)

And finally, Huffington Post also put in their two cents about the top 5 paint colors for renters, according to Apartment Guide and Benjamin Moore.  While the authors of the post seemed to find the colors a bit bland, I love them all, especially this icy blue, which is Benjamin Moore's Breath of Fresh Air.

Have a great weekend!

xoxochelsea

Ikea Hack-spiration

Ikea is a godsend.  Thank goodness it is located about two hours away from me, because my wallet would be constantly empty if it was any closer...or at least, emptier than it is now, if that's possible.  Ikea is always sort of poked fun at because it's like, for people who can't afford real furniture or something, but I love it and I'm not ashamed!  When I'm in there, I go nuts:  Plastic rainbow-colored eating utensils that look like a toddler's first fork and spoon?!  I NEED THOSE!!  Fake flowers for 97 cents apiece?  YES PLEASE.  A tray with birds on it?!  HELL YES!!!  (I'm a sucker for the 'put a bird on it' trend - Portlandia?  Anyone?)

Jared promised me an Ikea trip next month - poor sucker has no idea what he's in for - and I've been researching some Ikea hacks so I can get the best bang for my buck!  Who needs to search for pricey antique side tables or pay a buttload for built-in shelving when they can save a fortune by Ikea-hacking?!  My mama didn't raise no fool.  It makes my life feel complete when I can save money through DIY - it's possible that that's a sign I need to get more of a life, but let's just move on.  :)

I hope to one day have the moolah and plumbing skills necessary to turn a dresser into a chic bathroom vanity (or maybe Dad can help me :) ), and this one from Apartment Therapy is absolutely fantastic.  This is a reasonably-priced kitchen island from Ikea repurposed into twin sinks.  Unfortunately, Ikea no longer makes this exact kitchen island, but there are very similar pieces there.  I also love the iridescent tile backsplash.

My mom was lucky enough to get her hands on a full-sized, standing library card catalog - she went to pick it up this weekend.  Grrr!  I have wanted one of these for a long time too, and while the full-sized ones are hard to find and usually very expensive, this one was created using a cheap, plain wood Ikea piece that (AAARGH!!!) has been discontinued, some stain, and brass pulls.  I love the vintagey look this has, even though it's a brand new piece.

Everyone knows the Ikea "Lack" table.  It is not very well made, shiny, and comes in several different colors.  But since it is TEN DOLLARS (!!!!), tons of hacks have been done using it (I even did one!).  Jared loves this lighted Lack, which was made using frosted glass and Christmas twinkle lights.  I like how it looks for sure - very pretty and luminous - but couldn't this be a fire hazard?  I'm also not sure about the cord that seems to be coming out of it - that would be kind of an eyesore.  It's a nice idea, though!

These lovely O'Verlays again!!!  The Malm dresser from Ikea was used in this case, given a glass top, and decorated with some gold-painted Greek Key O'Verlays.  Looks very glam; the styling in this room is impeccable, too - love the rug!

It's the Lack again, this time a slightly larger version.  I love the looks of mid-century furniture, particularly Eames pieces.  Ikea pieces, of course, don't have that.  So this blogger took the matter into her own hands by purchasing these legs from eBay and replacing the plain white legs with these babies!  Easy peasy!

I adore the Simple Details blog - so many good ideas there, and this Ikea hack is no exception.  These nesting tables are $60 for a set of two, and they come with all black trim.  Using gold spray paint and some drawer pulls, she created this luxe-looking piece!

Lots of the kitchen decor ideas I bookmark on the Internet involve either a butcher block island OR an island that includes shelving for recipe books.  But I've never seen an island with BOTH!!!  This blogger used several Billy bookshelves from Ikea (which are relatively cheap and come in many different sizes) and a slab of butcher block, which was also at Ikea (not so cheap), to create a genius island for her kitchen.

Rugs are so so so expensive.  Why do they have to be?!?!  If I couldn't have a Moroccan wedding blanket or the Souk rug from West Elm, I would want a Greek Key-patterned rug, and this DIY makes it actually possible.  This blogger used a plain cotton rug from Ikea, painter's tape, and plain old paint to create this masterpiece!

One day, I WILL have wall-to-wall bookcases in my house, and I don't care if they're built-ins or if they're faux built-ins created using Billy bookcases from Ikea!  These look pretty convincing to me, and they are wonderfully styled with all those pretty splashes of yellow.  Love this!

And one more from me:

(Yes, yes, I apologize for the shitty photo, unmade bed, etc.)  To make this headboard, I used two Lack tables (for $10 each from Ikea), and drilled/screwed/whatever all the pieces together using 2x4s laid horizontally across the back.  The shorter pieces are the legs laid side by side.  I don't love it...but I do love the shininess of it, and it'll do for now.  :)

Also, if you'd like to make your own Ikea hacks, the tutorials for each of these are shown in the blog they're linked to.  Happy hacking!  :)

xoxochelsea

Cyber Saturdays: Awesome Things From Around the Internets!

I'm so sorry for the silence this week; I have been equal parts busy with some new projects and endeavors and also being lazy and babysitting two shi-tzus!  One of my new projects is this:  Second Chances.  A second blog dedicated to all things animals.  I'm hoping I will be able to network and get enough traffic to really be able to make a difference in the world of animal rescue.  Let me know if you have any suggestions, and please share the site to help spread the word about how important adopting animals is.

I've decided to add a new feature on the blog (and hopefully post more than once a week - yikes) - hence, Cyber Saturday, in which I post links and photos of things I have loved this week around the web.  I read at least ten blogs daily, and I am always bombarded with pretty, glittery, jealous-making inspiration from them, so I'll share some with you here.  I can't believe how equally amazing and time-sucking the Internet is.

I have only recently discovered the gorgeous time-waster that is Pinterest.  I've been pinning all morning.  It's ridiculous. Thank God I didn't make use of this tool during my wedding planning; I had a tough time making decisions from the magazine inspiration alone!  This is just one of the pins I found today (originally pinned from here), and I need to do it!  My jewelry storage is more decorative than functional (#firstworldproblems), and this stuff (all found for under $10!) would hold so! much! jewelry!!!

Some more Pin-spiration (originally from here).  Navy blue grasscloth plus chevron wainscoting!!!!  I'm in freaking love.  Hopefully this is "modern enough" for my husband's tastes.

These are fantastic.  I have been aware of O'Verlays for about a year now, but I only recently started reading one of the founders' blogs:  Gorgeous Shiny Things.  It's amazing and FULL of ideas and DIYs, and of course, she uses tons of O'Verlays to fancy up cabinets and nightstands.  It's pretty amazing what they can do to a plain old Ikea dresser.

I cannot get over this.  The Home Depot blog offers a tutorial on how to make a metallic "zebra skin" rug out of CANVAS DROPCLOTH!!!  I mean, I'm sure it's not all that pleasant to walk across, and maybe it doesn't look quite as good in person as the photo makes it look, but isn't it pretty?!  I want a faux-skin rug so badly, but they're always so pricey.  This is a nice, easy alternative.

Buzzfeed's lists on fashion and accessories are usually pretty meh, but I am obsessed with Tiffany blue, so I adored this.  The Hunter wellies on this list are so perfect, and I'm dying for a vintage refrigerator (which is, unfortunately, one of Jared's vetoes).  Everything about this color is perfect.

Simple Details blog (which is also great) featured DIY Tanzania wallpaper this week.  The real deal is very luxe and expensive, but she created this using a stencil and plain wallpaper.  Love that it's so easy to recreate a designer item!

Ikea makes a small, plain dresser called the Rast.  There are a million fun ways to spice it up; this is one of my favorites.  This blogger turned it into a faux campaign piece.  It's one of my favorite Ikea hacks that I've found - more on Ikea hacking later! :)

And here's one crappy little DIY by Jared and I, inspired by some projects on Pinterest.

Toddler art at its finest, amiright?!  Buuut we needed some St. Patty's Day art, and fingerpainting while watching the Oscars?  That's a date night that really can't be beat. :)

I'm posting a rescue-themed Cyber Saturday post over on Second Chances later on tonight, along with ANOTHER DIY I finished today, so head on over and check it out!

Thank you so much for reading <3

xoxochelsea

A Spring in My Step

Let's not kid ourselves.  Spring is still months away.  But in between blizzards, thundersnow, and roads full of slush, there are moments when I can feel it coming.  Moments when I will take the dog for a walk and not have to wear a hat, when I don't need to warm up the car before leaving for work.  I look forward to those moments, and I'm hoping they will start sticking around.  Looking at springy inspiration on the Internet makes me feel a little better; when I get to put up the Easter egg wreath and outdoor decorations, my entire year is made.

Gorgeous picnic baskets from Style Me Pretty.  I can't wait for the weather to be nice enough to drag my picnic basket and blanket, some lemonade, and my husband out to the park!

                              

Two adorable DIYs from All Things Katie Marie that are perfect for spring!  The baseball wreath (tutorial here) is a great masculine option when compared to a floral wreath; Jared would not be opposed to hanging this on our front door.  I also really love the moss-covered letters (tutorial here) to hang on a fence.  One day!

I am in love with these Swedish Easter trees called Paskris (this one found over at Apartment Therapy).  My grandma used to have something similar on her kitchen table in the spring, and I have been considering making one of my own for an Easter centerpiece.  Colorful and whimsical, and just my style!

Blair's style is always spot-on and super inspirational (from Atlantic-Pacific).  I love an army-style jacket paired with something feminine for spring.

I'm always looking for unique ideas for dying/painting Easter eggs (though they rarely turn out the way I had planned), and oh my gosh.  Super Mario Easter eggs?!  These are the best.

This Deborah Lippman nail polish is called Rockin' Robin, and it is a gorgeous robin's egg blue with flecks of black glitter in it, so it looks just like an actual robin egg.  I adore this.

I would never be able to pull this off; let's just get that straight.  A baker I am not. But it's so beautiful!!! Like the nail polish above, it mixes a light blue frosting with black specks (chocolate frosting artfully spattered onto the cake!) to resemble a robin's egg.

This popular brand of shoes started off in the UK, and now they are starting to become trendy in America as well.  They come in so many gorgeous colors, but I am partial to the light blue for spring, as you may have noticed. :)

xoxochelsea

Unexpected Art: A Roundup!

I was looking through my bookmarks, searching for inspiration, and I found a bit of a theme:  many of my "home decor" bookmarks centered around unusual art pieces, most of them DIY.  Now, I love me a traditional piece of art for the wall, especially if it is something that is meaningful to you.  However, the things that tend to speak to me are pieces that people might not consider art:  a glued-together puzzle, for example, or paper banners.  I saw a feature of a beach house in a magazine where they had framed a vintage bathing suit and hung it on the wall - I love that!  This post is dedicated to those unique pieces of art.

(clockwise from left)
Handwriting wall:  This is something simple that still makes a statement.  Instead of wallpaper or a bright color for an accent wall, how about literally writing on the walls instead?  For this project, Elsie of A Beautiful Mess wrote "I love you more than ever" over and over again, turning a boring, stark-white wall into something special.  This is such a neat idea.  The tutorial is shared in the link!
Vintage paint-by-numbers:  My mom is lucky enough to have kept some actual paint-by-numbers that she did when she was young.  I don't have photos of them, but she framed them, and now two adorable paint-by-number dogs hang on her guest bedroom wall.  At antique stores, I am always looking for these, especially animal ones!  I think they're so fun and unique!
Swan Lake wallpaper:  Sometimes no one piece of art can make the statement that beautiful wallpaper does.  I have lusted after this gorgeous swan-printed wallpaper since I saw it in last year's issue of HGTV Magazine.  I have an obsession with birds, and the splashes of pink on this wallpaper make it perfect for an accent wall.  Wallpaper is my favorite - what's tough is finding a wallpaper that Jared likes, too :)
"Hello" plank art:  Nothing is more appealing to me than old, roughed-up wood mixed with modern, bright paint.  This piece of art could be replicated using lots of different things; an old wooden pallet would be cool.
Vintage dog educational chart:  I also have an obsession with old educational or science charts, for some reason.  I like to imagine where they came from, if they once hung in a schoolroom or a vet's office or something!  This chart, featuring different breeds of dogs, is exactly my style!
Rainbow spoon art:  This colorful piece was originally found on Pinterest, and I think it would look awesome hanging in a kitchen, especially on a bright white wall.  It's definitely unique, but not too crazy, and it would be super easy to replicate.  Tutorial shared in the link!
Silver taxidermy:  Faux taxidermy is something that has only recently started drawing my eye.  I would never purchase real taxidermy, of course, and the many colorful/glittery/shiny versions that are out there are much prettier anyway.  This silver one is especially gorgeous!
Green Eggs and Ham print:  This blogger blew up a picture in a children's book to hang on her son's bedroom wall!  I love this idea and all the options it creates - sooo many books to choose from.  Being the nerd that I am, I'd probably choose Harry Potter :)  Or Alice in Wonderland!

(clockwise from left)

"Hello" string art:  This whole photo shows the word "HELLO".  It's a super easy how-to, and very cute:  All you need is a piece of wood, some pretty paint, string/yarn, and nails!  The possibilities are endless!

Moulin Rouge print:  Though my husband does not agree, I think Moulin Rouge is one of the best movies of all time!  And, of course, one of the most-quoted lines is, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."  This print features that quote and the windmill of Moulin Rouge.  I adore this, but it's not something that can be purchased :(

Lion King print:  This is actually up for sale on Etsy!  I really like minimalist art, especially when it refers to movies, and The Lion King is mine and Jared's favorite childhood movie.

Paint shirt art:  One of my favorite bloggers painted her new home with her husband, and she made some great memories along the way.  Not wanting to get rid of the painted shirts they wore, but not wanting to stuff them away in a box, she decided to frame pieces of them!  This is such a good idea, and it could be done with many different things.  It looks like an abstract, modern piece!

Allow me to indulge for a little while and show off some photos of the "quirky" art I have in my own home!  I really love each piece, and each has a bit of a story behind it.

(Left to right)

"You mustn't be afraid":  I blatantly ripped off this idea from Holly at Nothing but Bonfires; it was originally meant to read "You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling," which is a line from the movie Inception, but I overshot and ran out of room.  :)  SO I ended up leaving it at just "You mustn't be afraid," which I think suits me better anyway.  (I am quite afraid of a lot of things.)  It was super easy to make:  stick-on letters from Hobby Lobby and a single sheet of grey paper.  It sits on my desk, and it reminds me to kind of chill out and man up!  :)

This tin hot dog hangs in my kitchen.  It's just silly and fun, but I had it hanging in my bedroom since I was like twelve, and I love it!

I collect basically anything owl, and this ceramic one currently hangs out above my toilet! I like how it looks against the light-green wall.  

Here is my own faux taxidermy!  A simple pair of gold antlers, purchased from Target for twenty bucks.  :)  My parents don't "get" them, but Jared and I really like their simplicity.  They are pretty versatile too - they can be decorated for all the holidays.  An ornament hangs from an antler for Christmas, spiderwebs for Halloween, etc.  Fun :)

"His 'n' Her" plaques hang above Jared and my bathroom, respectively.  These silhouette portraits are especially fun because the silhouette part is backed by a page from a book!  They are from a small, quirky office-supply-type store at the Mall of America.

Jared bought me this minimalist Harry Potter print from Etsy!  It features Harry's scar and glasses, the Gryffindor colors, and this quote from Professor Dumbledore, "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."  

I lusted after this light-switch on Etsy for months, and then I happened to stumble upon it in a little vintage boutique.  It resides in my bathroom, and I smile every time I turn on the light!

Instead of a vintage dog chart, I own a "faux vintage" butterfly chart.  I purchased it at the aforementioned Mall of America store, and I pinned it up using multicolored pushpins to give it more of that elementary-school feeling.

These paper pinwheels are tacked above my desk (surrounding my bachelor's degree, which I am - HA! - so proud of).  My mom made a TON of these for our wedding, and these are my three favorites.  I love being able to have mementos from our wedding day as decor in my home.

(clockwise from left)

An antique wooden moon shelf that is a replica of my mom's hangs under the calendar I designed, which features the animals that came to be so important to me during my time working at the HSNI.    I look forward to the beginning of each month, so I get to see which dog or cat will grace my wall for that month!

Sigh.  This...thing.  I don't even know what you call this.  It's the Gone With the Wind movie poster painted onto a small, beat-up wooden pallet.  I got it at the Brass Armadillo during a random shopping trip with Jared; it caught my eye immediately, and I'm so so glad I bought it!  

This miniature gallery wall hangs above our couch, and it is updated or added to quite frequently.  It features our dog Riley, art photographs of different animals, and dogs and cats from the HSNI, amazingly photographed by Love and Luck Photography.  I'm also looking for some antique animal prints to add to the wall.

I had this canvas made at Walgreen's to give to Jared for Christmas!  It is our favorite "family" photo from the shoot with Love and Luck Photography.  (A tip:  If you're looking for a canvas to be made for a reasonable price, try Walgreen's online photo services.  SUPER cheap, and you can always find an online coupon or discount!)

Thanks for going on a little tour of my favorite pieces of art!! :)

xoxochelsea