Etsy Finds || Home Decor

Top Row L-R: Rustic Wood Large World Map, Reclaimed Hardwood Coasters, Vintage Stoneware Pitcher
Middle Row L-R: Set of 3 Painted Wooden Vases, Metal Fox Bookends, Minimal Wooden Clock 
Bottom Row L-R: Burlap Deer Pillow, Reclaimed Pallet Wood Sign , Silk Peonies Arrangement

What are you inspired by in home decor these days?

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Art Journal || Week 5 || Update - Flower Garland

I can't believe I've already finished 5 weeks of summer vacation!  Where does the time go?!?!?!

This past week I didn't really work in my art journal very much because I was too busy with diy projects.  The one project that I was able to finish was inspired by this post.  I made a small paper garland to hang on my gallery wall.

I used the templates provided by the original post, but I made it uniquely my own by watercoloring each flower (instead of using card stock or construction paper).  The only flowers that are not watercolored are the yellow ones and the leaves.  I probably spent way too much time on this project and paid way too close attention to details that no one will ever notice now that it's on my wall, but I had fun doing it and I'm glad I finished without giving up!  I think I might need to add a couple more leaves and sprigs in there, but so far I'm liking it.

Don't judge my wall, it's not finished yet!!!

This week I am planning on finishing this diy and hanging it above my bed.

Hope you had a great weekend!  What are your 4th of July plans?  I'm going down to Florida to visit family and enjoy some beach time!

P.S. The lettered art work is from this Etsy shop.

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Art Journal Challenge

Week 1 Update

Week 2 Update

Week 3 Update

Week 4 Update

Linking up with Anderson + Grant and Craftberrybush

Unsplash

This is not a sponsored post.

If you're a seasoned blogger, you may have already heard of Unsplash.  It's a website that provides "Free (do whatever you want) hi-resolution photos."  They're great for making blog images (I used some here) or for printing and using as art in your home.  They have a wide variety, from oceans to cities, people to countryside.

There are so many good ones to choose from.  I would love to (and just might) frame and display some of these:

I could go on and on and on...

This is not a sponsored post, but I highly encourage you to have a look around the site.  Let me know which ones are your favorite!

XO,

Julie

Souvenir - Paraty Watercolor

Peter picked out this watercolor of the church on the bay in Paraty.  I would have gone with a different scene (maybe the rows of colorful buildings) but he loved this one, so this is the one we got.

close-up

I can't wait to get back to the States and figure out how to display and use all of our cool souvenirs.  I think a mat to match the church roof would look nice, with a green frame?  Brown frame?  Gold?!

We have 30 days left in Brazil, assuming the airport doesn't shut down.  Which reminds me to please ask you to send prayers to Brazil.  Tomorrow the police are going on strike (not working) in four different states, including the beautiful city of Rio, where I live.  You can imagine what happens when desperate people realize there are no policemen to stop them.  When this happened in other cities recently, there was massive chaos and crime in the streets.  

Brazil has been under a lot of stress recently.  The citizens are aware that eyes are on Brazil for the World Cup, so they are using this as an opportunity to make their demands known, hoping that the government will appease them to avoid national headlines.  In the past couple of weeks we have seen protests, strikes, buses not running, buses being burned, streets being shut down, and now the police are not going to work.  The Federal Police (different than the ones striking tomorrow - the Fed Po deal with all customs and everyone entering and leaving the country) are threatening to shut down the international airport during the World Cup.  We are supposed to leave June 20th (right in the middle of the Copa), so a Fed Po strike could seriously ruin our plans. 

It is a stressful time for all involved, and for those of us observing, since we realize how this has the potential to unfold into a very serious problem.  We are hoping for the best and that everything will be resolved quickly, but in the meantime, please pray for Brazil!

Today I'm participating in Travel Tuesday.  Click on the link to see other cool blogs and posts about travel.

XO,

Julie

Future Home - Inspiration

I do this blog for fun and not for money.  I started it as a creative outlet, a way to challenge myself.  If I know that I will be posting something to my blog, I will work harder at making it great (art, recipes, photographs, etc.).  It also keeps me accountable (if I post that I'm going to exercise, I better exercise).  Over this past year it has been more of a travel blog, as I document our adventures in Brazil.  But, ultimately, it is just a personal blog, a way to journal about life, and secretly a way for me to keep track of my life without have to spend money on scrapbooking (though I'm really looking forward to making some photo albums when we get back to the States - another post on that later).

Lately I've been obsessing about the future.  What job am I going to get?  Where will we live?  I can't wait for the day we can start decorating and making our living place feel like "us."  Our apartment in Brazil came fully furnished with some pretty crappy stuff (another post on that, later).  And since we knew we were going to be here temporarily, we didn't want to spend too much money on stuff that we will eventually have to ship back with us.  Financially, it just doesn't make sense.  So my days are instead spent with browsing blogs, Etsy, and Pinterest, and dreaming about my future house.

Here are some of my favorites:

I love the window and pillows, the green cabinet, and the rustic table:

via Pinterest

I love the indoor plants and the abundance of light:

via Pinterest

I love the ceiling and the rug:

via Pinterest

I love the flowers and colors:

via Pinterest

I love the desk, the window, the colors, and the fireplace.  Basically this room is perfect:

via Pinterest

I love the large map:

via Pinterest

I love the suitcases and the globe:

via Pinterest

I love the ceiling and the fire place:

via Pinterest

I love the brick backsplash:

via Pinterest

I love the bathtub:

via Pinterest

I love the lamp:

via Pinterest

It's safe to say my tastes are eclectic...

See more on my Pinterest account.

XOXO,

Julie

Wish List - Kitchen Edition

A roundup of pretty things I would buy for my kitchen - if I had the money, of course!  I have a kind of eclectic style.  I don't care if things match.  I prefer individually unique and pretty things to matchy-matchy.  Of course that might change once I have a house of my own! :)

Jadite things, via website

Ceramic bowls, perfect for dips, via Etsy

Bowls, via Anthropologie

Floral measuring cups, via RedEnvelope

Teapot, via Mariage Freres

To see more of my never-ending wish lists, follow me on Pinterest! Pinterest.com/juliesmithmusic

DIY heart "garland"

A few days ago I made a garland of sorts to decorate my kitchen's back wall.  I cut out hearts from scrapbook paper and affixed them to twine.  I did five strands and attached each of them to a long one that hangs across....  What do you think?

Future home decor

Some projects I'm looking forward to doing some day... Maybe when I have my own home...

Painted vases - find cheap vases from the dollar store, paint the insides, display!

Found here.

Napkin coasters - find cute patterned napkins, modpodge over pain tiles, use as coasters

Found here.

Frame for keys - find cute frame, instal hooks in the inner top, hang keys

Found here.

Book box - tutorial

I've seen this project on various sites so I thought I'd try my hand at it...

In a nutshell: 

1.  Take a pretty book   2.  Glue pages together   3.  Cut a hole on the inside   4.  Use it to hold jewelry or flowers, hide valuables, etc.

Find a pretty book (Poems of Emily Dickinson).

You lookin at me?

(Something you find on the walls in many homes in the Imperial Valley...)