Mini Inspiration Boards for your Desktop

How I want to feel, where I want to be and how I want my home, have been reduced to a mini desktop collage I created for daily inspiration.

A while back, I created some desktop inspiration stones (left) from recycled glass based on a framed inspiration board I created in a workshop (right).  You can see that project here.  

We have some mini canvas frames we have collected from dollar stores and art stores.  I thought it might be fun to put together another desktop inspiration.

 To make my mini inspirations on canvas I began with my magazine collection and cut out phrases and images that fit my themes. (1)

I checked to see what it would look like laid out on the canvas (2)

I used acrylic modge podge and painted it on the canvas and the back of my images and words. (3)

I started with the images I wanted in my background (4)

I finished it all up with a coat on the entire top of the collage (5)

For my board that relates to inspiration for mind - I simply added the words to the plain canvas and clear coated.  (left)  For my board that inspires my coastal dreams I added a turquoise wash of paint and created an ombre effect, for my background.

Dreams, mind and home - all reduced to a canvas measuring 2X3 inches.

You know what?  I think it might already be working.  I'm off for a quick trip with a girlfriend down to the Keys - my coastal dream has already been achieved.  Next up - finding peace and zen ...

I'll be back here the middle of next week.  Have a great weekend!

Learning to LOV3 my home

You might recall that in the new year I pledged to try and embrace the perfectly imperfect and show my love to home, family and self.

My girls embarked on a sparkler project on New Year's Eve on the beach, and one miscalculated the "E".  However, I realized that I loved that LOV3 and everything it represented.  

I thought I'd share some of my recent efforts to show some love around here and to embrace my house - even though it isn't perfect.

This project was based on a similar one I found in the book Crafting a Meaningful Home by Meg Mateo.  I think I still need to play around with the frames to keep them "perfectly" together but I love seeing all the family love notes up on the wall and out of the box.  It reminds me everyday of where we have come and what it means to be a family.

Just below the frame, I worked on another way to show this space some love.

My husband brought this old red bean bag ottoman from Pottery Barn up from the basement to rest his feet when he watches world cup soccer.  Yuck - it was driving me crazy so I pulled out the scraps from our old linen slipcover and sewed up a cover that makes me so happy - it's not perfect but I still LOV3 it!

This is another reminder of love.  Every year (maybe a couple of slips) we have taken a picture of the girls at the beach in our neighbourhood.  It all started with the picture on the top right.  Ali was just under a year and her big sister Helana just over 2.  I had these crazy hats on them.  That was the start and every year since we have tried to capture them in their winter coat and hat - it is a way to remember how much they have changed over the years and it really fills the hallway to our basement with a clean look but one that has meaning and personality.

I'm hoping to continue this LOV3 of home this summer, tackling some projects that have been weighing on me.  Things that maybe seem like a mountain to climb but if I put one foot in front of the other I know it will help me to embrace this perfectly, imperfect life and feel the LOV3.