Typography, Quotes, and DIY Art

"Because even the smallest of words can be the ones to hurt you, or save you." 

                                                                           - Natsuki Takaya                                   

When it comes to filling my home I want every piece to be special. Whether simply beautiful, full of sentimental value, or capable of eliciting emotion, each piece builds on the other to generate a specific mood in the room. Art is a great way to add this personalized touch to a room and as it doesn't need to serve a functional purpose, it's only purpose is to represent you. 

Art can also be pricey, and as we've established that it's purely decorative it can be hard to lay down your hard earned cash for something that simply hangs on the wall. Luckily, it's quite easy to whip up something personalized yourself for a fraction of the cost - photographs, children's drawings, sketches, and paintings - and now with the help of Photoshop you can create professional looking posters. 

Inspiration-a-plenty can be found everywhere, with Etsy and Pinterest being my go to resources, and after a casual glance my gears started turning...

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Blame it on the proximity to Valentine's Day, or just the fact I'm a hopeless romantic, but I immediately knew the beautiful prose of F. Scott Fitzgerald would marry perfectly with these graphic, modern, typography posters. Unfortunately, nailing down just which line to use from his many beautiful stories was easier said than done. After finally settling on a couple, I played around with different fonts, textures, and layers in Photoshop for quite some time, becoming lost in my experiments.

Using Photoshop and this simple tutorial I was able to create these typography posters of my own in a few short hours. The best part is that they are absolutely free to make, and the perfect rainy (or snowy) day activity, and therefore easy to interchange whenever I want to try something new. 

I'm planning to print them on a good quality paper and frame them in crisp white frames, once of course we're settled in a place of our own and have some wall space for them. 

Kicked Up Classic - Photo Wall

You're probably quite familiar with the classic photo wall - they seem to be everywhere lately, even I couldn't resist installing a little ledge to display all my favorite frames and photos (with a little help from my dad). 

It's easy to understand the popularity of the tried and true photo wall, they're eye-catching and create a great focal point in a room, they also make use of multiple photos in a small chunk of wall space. However the common photo wall seems to be becoming a bit, well, common for my liking.

If you're looking for something refreshing and new, why not borrow some inspiration from some of the creative photo walls below?

My absolute favorite way to display photos at the moment, wrapping your photo wall around a corner is a modern approach that takes advantage of an awkward space and helps connect and transition between two rooms. If you're looking for an eclectic look mix and match frames; more modern? stick to black and white images and keep frames similar in style, shape, and size.

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If a frame-wrapped corner isn't for you, why not amplify things a bit? These gorgeous photo walls (on steroids) are a more modern take on the classic and are certainly attention grabbing. Too keep the look from becoming overpowering skip colour and opt for black and white photos in neutral frames. 

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And after all that, there's always the classic photo wall if you prefer to play it a bit safe. However you decide to showcase your family photos, they are sure to add a personal touch to your home that can't be found anywhere else. 

Enjoy,

Calli

On My Mind - 26.02.2012

Right now I can't stop thinking about... 

Patterned Tights - Sexy and graphic, yet subtle enough to wear before the sun goes down... I really love this pattern and, although ornate, they'd probably find a way into my wardrobe every now and then, especially on those "brave" days.

via Obaz

Hilarious Dog Photography -The underwater element takes these "pet" photos to another level - the moments photographer Seth Casteel was able to capture are spectacular. The complete joy and absolute commitment these dogs have for simply chasing a ball makes me want to put more effort into my own free time. 

via msn

Any & All Lemon Desserts - My mouth is watering just thinking about this Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake but I wouldn't turn down a coffee cake, cupcake, or cheesecake either. Heck at this point a lemon-blueberry muffin could curb my craving - for a minute or two. 

via The Vintage Mixer

Charm Friendship Bracelets - The bright bold colours have me thinking of spring and the little charms are just - charming. These are simply braided although I remember making more intricate versions as a teenager. Wonder if it's still cool to pin them to your jeans while you knot away?

via Quiet Lion

Summer! - I know it's only the end of February and summer is a few months off but without a sunny vacation this winter I'm jonesing for some warm rays. Also, this above ground pool is just plain cool and super inviting. 

via Bonytt

Here's to warmer days right around the corner. 

Have a lovely Monday,

Calli

Travelling Art DIY Revisited

If you're a return reader you may have seen a little tutorial I did in early November - taking travel patches and turning them into simple, modern, colourful art. 

all the gory details from the first time around

This project had special meaning for me, the patches I used were collected by my late grandfather, so when it turned out better than I could ever imagine AND I had leftover patches I decided to share the love and make a smaller version for my brother. 

Naturally, I took care of numero uno first and then DIYed a Christmas gift for my brother.

I went with a basic white frame, mat, and background to show off the colours in the patches - then I simply glued them onto the backing (cardstock) with a dot of hot glue.

I wrote something sweet and sappy on the back and that's it. So easy! 

When we were cleaning out my grandfather's house it was a nice surprise when photos or paintings had an inscription on the back - it was amazing to see paintings my parents had gifted to my grandparents before I was born.

Overall I think my brother likes his gift; I love adding a personal touch to gift giving!

Enjoy!

Calli

Travelling Art

My Papa passed away just over a month ago. After the initial shock and sorrow we began cleaning out his house and quickly realized that Papa was a bit of a hoarder. 

Now it may be something common of the generation as a whole, I know a lot of grandparents with significant collections of "stuff", or it might have been a part of my Nana that rubbed off on him after almost 30 years of wedded bliss. I'm just surprised I hadn't noticed before - I'd been to his house a million times.

While cleaning, one thing that quickly stood out to me, besides the stashes of coins in film canisters everywhere, was the significant amount of travel souvenirs Papa had collected. Mostly from Canada and the United States, he had a pin, postcard, and patch from every place he'd ever visited,

As a kid I was enrolled in Girl Guides, where patches were frequently traded and highly coveted, so when I saw this collection I eagerly claimed it, and was surprised the rest of my family saw it as trash, not treasure. 

I had something in mind for those patches...

Inspired by my handmade butterfly art and the strong desire to display the patches as a constant reminder of my Papa, I decided to use them as art, mounted on white paper in a plain white frame to make the colours pop. 

The process was fairly straightforward and the supplies minimal - A frame from Ikea, white poster board, and hot glue gun. I sketched a rough layout and used a ruler to ensure the patches lined up while I glued them to the poster board. The glue dries immediately so there wasn't any delay, I assembled the frame right away and it was done. 

I will admit that the patches sat on my table for a few weeks as I procrastinated finalized the layout.

I think it turned out incredibly well, better than expected, and now I just need to find the perfect place to hang it! I'm also thinking of carrying on the tradition, what a great way to showcase your travels and relive the memories.

Enjoy!

Calli

Uppercase Art

How does one go about selecting a letter to hang as wall art? 

I guess initials or the first letter of a name could work, but that could come across as a bit narcissistic no?

A favorite letter would make the choice simple however I honestly don't really have one and 26 choices is hard, what with my track record of being indecisive and all...

I've thought about spelling out a word with multiple letters but can't find the perfect word; I'm also normally too cheap to buy multiple letters.

I'm not sure how these homeowners (or their designers) chose their letters but whatever method they are using it's working!

via Pinterest

This punch of red in a large N livens up a minimal industrial office while the graphic wallpaper feature wall in this bedroom has a carnival flair to it.

via Pinterest

The soft turquoise B and ombre dresser are lovely in a nursery or child's room.

via Pinterest

This graphic G is bold and as a result probably my favorite. I really like the font and low hanging light.

via Pinterest

Enjoy!

Calli

Horsing Around

Anyone else notice an increase in horse themed art out there lately? My aunt and uncle have a farm - complete with horses - so I'm thinking maybe this is something I can D-I-Y with my trusty camera...

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Have your say - are you a fan of the horse theme or not? Could this be the next "thing" and knock owls off their pedestal? 

Enjoy!

Calli

Darling Little Frenchies

This weekend I had the pleasure of photographing my friend Jen's two French Bulldogs. Bella and Ruby were as adorable as expected and the weather outside was perfect for a couple hours of playing, belly rubs, and kisses. 

In addition to being a blast, the photo session also allowed me to cross something off my bucket list! Remember this little post? Well... number 20 is a wish to one day photograph a "client" and, since Jen isn't a relative and doesn't have to love me or my pictures, I'm counting her as my first and best client ever!

Although she didn't have to love the photos (the opportunity to act like a real photographer for a bit would have been enough) I'm told she does which makes me grin from ear to ear...

Enjoy!

Calli

I Love Dexter!

I don't have cable. Not because I don't like tv, I can get caught watching something stupid with the best of them (think Jersey Shore or Entertainment Tonight). I don't have cable because I'm cheap. I've learned to find the shows I like online or buy DVD box sets (on sale!) and although that means I'm behind a bit it's ok, because in the summer, when nothing but crap is on tv, I've got Damages, Mad Men, or something else fabulous to watch. 

Right now I'm having a mini Dexter marathon, trying to catch up on Season 4. I know I've posted this before but I am in love (love! love! love!) with these Ty Mattson prints and want one sooooooooo bad!

I've tried to purchase one (or two...) on numerous occasions but there are always problems with the Showtime website. First they didn't ship to Canada and then there was an issue with the terms and conditions... 

But, the website has underestimated just how stubborn I can be - I wont give up until one of these beauts is framed and leaned against my wall in a very chic and modern way!

Enjoy!

Calli

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I tend to get cranky when I don't feel productive so I decided to use my first official vacation to cross a few items off my to-do list. 

I started in the garage, packing up the tent I used two weeks ago (yes, I'm ashamed), sorting our cans and bottles for recycling, and taking out the garbage. I then moved inside and put away all the shoes that had migrated to our tiny entrance. 

My main job for the day was our spare room - where everything seems to go to die. It's too embarrassing to show you the before picture so here's one after a couple hours (like tidying up for the cleaning lady...)

I had a huge oak dresser that was taking up way too much space - once I shimmied it out of the way I had room for a side table, lamp, and chair (don't worry, I'll wait for a strong man before moving the dresser downstairs!).

My favorite thing about the room right now is a little wooden fruit crate under the purple side table. I filled it with tins that hold pencil crayons, paint brushes, and markers for a big punch of colour!

This room still needs a lot of TLC - paint, headboard, curtains, art... but at least it's cleaner and I've purged a ton of stuff!

After so much purging I got stuck so I moved along to my master bedroom. Between weekends camping I've been working a lot and neglecting my house - it looked like a clothes hoarder had moved into a corner in my bedroom...

It's shameful but would you believe how bad it was without the picture? After loads of laundry, making the bed, and vacuuming, I finally got some art hung! These pictures have been leaning against my walls for MONTHS so I'm so excited that they are up and out of the way!

To prove that I didn't just shove everything in my closet I left the mirrored doors open for the after pics... I hung my handmade butterfly art between the closets and two framed photographs above the bed. There is just something about art and plants that transform a room...

To finish things off I hung a clock in my master bathroom - a necessity while I get ready in the mornings! My friend Andrea gave me this kick-ass clock, for no other reason than she's sweet like that... I had a simple clock that was an option too but a quick comparison made the decision easy. 

Now I just need to find 12 black and white photos to fill the colourful frames of the clock...

Enjoy!

Calli

Playing Auntie

My brother and his girlfriend have an adorable pup named Diesel - and last night I played auntie while they went to a soccer game in Vancouver. 

Poor Diesel didn't know what was in store for him... I cornered him with my camera as he was trying to sleep. Poor little guy!

I've taken pictures of my Dad's pups before and they turned out great. Now I can add Deisel to the list - soon my place will be full of canine art... 

Dogs are quickly becoming one of my favorite things to photograph - it's really neat when you can capture their personality...

Enjoy!

Calli