We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online learning and we’re all losing it a little. Things that are helping: pretending that we’re in the Mystery Machine, headed for a campground with a mystery to solve! Jude says the camp counsellor is pretending to be a ghost while Luca was busy getting “Honey” into her sleeping bag for the night. And then a pirate showed up, so this story is really getting good 😂

@playmobil is honestly a life changer because the kids get to build AND use their imagination. It’s a win-win, and let’s face it, we could all use a little win these days.

How are you all coping with kids at home?
Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table looks like right now. No, there aren’t markers, papers, toys, food, crumbs and tears on it. Nope. Nope. Nope. None of the above. Everything’s cool and calm over here, folks.

(If it’s not abundantly clear, I am joking.)
What does your Monday morning look like today? We’re over here prepping for online learning (note computer on dining room table) and I’m using our @playosmo to get our kids engaged in some math and language activities before we really get going. Every time I post about our Osmo, I’m asked: “do you really like it?” And my answer is always “YES!” I mean, just look at these kiddos. Jude is obsessed with the tangram and Luca loves sounding our words - he was trying to figure out whether to use ‘k’ or ‘c’ for ‘cat’ here. To them, they’re “playing”...but we all know what’s REALLY going on! #unboxingosmo #osmosocialclub
Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out r Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out reels, but I’m not letting that stop me. I made one showing you the materials and steps to make this super easy ornament storage so would you go watch it, pretty please?

I’ve been using this method of ornament storage for 7 years and it all started with a cardboard box, some red cups and a single layer. A few years later I upgraded the system to multiple layers, used foam board and white cups and voila! Scroll over to see what I mean.

Would you try this? It’s super easy and you can probably still go ahead and just use old cardboard and whatever cups you have on hand. It’s the best thing I ever did for my holiday decor!! Just make sure you use double sided tape or hot glue to attach the cups - loose cups are no bueno!

If you do this, show me, ok? I wanna see everyone put away their ornaments with no breakage! 🙌
Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of wee Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of weeks...but with a puppy in the middle of it all. We’re picking up Taco on Friday so prepare yourself for puppy pictures ALL over the place.

Also: I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and have taken a little break from both posting and consuming when it comes to social media. I’m trying to soak up the holiday magic, read things other than captions (as I write this that seems weird), and even writing more things down.

This time of year always makes me reflective - less because it’s the end of a calendar year and more because it’s my birthday in 9 days. Yes. It’s on the 25th. Yep. Christmas Day. No, seriously. Yeah, Christmas baby! I don’t mind it now, but I didn’t like it as a kid. Oh you know someone who also has a birthday on (or very close to) Christmas! Cool! <— that was just me reacting to like every single conversation ever about having a birthday on December 25th. 😂
I’m still thinking about these adorable little @ I’m still thinking about these adorable little @tubicenlighting lamps that you just touch to turn on and off. And this cutie little door all decked out with a smart doorbell and lock. And the beautiful blue kitchen by @remodelcanada.ca. And all of the vanities from @canaromatoronto. And this gorgeous hardwood flooring from @coswickcanada.ca.

Can you believe this was all under one roof? @improvecanada has 350 showrooms and it was so much fun seeing how many we could get to yesterday.

I’ll be sharing lots more about @improvecanada in the coming months, but if you’re curious and want to go see it for yourself, they’re open! You can call and book an appointment or even have a customer service rep help you make an appointment at showrooms suited to what you’re looking for. Pretty great, right?
#improvecanada # ad #makeitright
So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now I just need to gather all of the boys for an adorable family photo. Christmas miracle, maybe?

I made these sweaters for all of us last weekend using my @officialcricut Joy and now I may need to start personalizing a LOT more shirts around here! It was my first time using infusible ink and I love how the sweaters stays super soft! I may just be wearing this for the rest of the year!

O.S. If it wasn’t clear, our last name is Murray 😆

Have you made matching Christmas sweaters? What would be on yours if you did? # ad #cricutmade
Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or may Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or maybe you’re like me and you like to think you’re crafty but lack the patience to take out a whole bunch of things to make one tiny craft? Well then I have the thing for you. Meet the @officialcricut Joy! It’s tiny but mighty, and you can just have it casually sitting on a shelf waiting to be used when inspiration strikes because it takes up basically no room at all! I made these labels using mine, and you can swipe to see another easy project you can make with a Cricut Joy. It’s the perfect little gift! I even wrote a blog post about why I think so. I’ll share another Cricut project with you later this week!! # ad #cricutmade
Can you believe this room was completed two years Can you believe this room was completed two years ago? And I still love it as much today as I did then. And I still believe that my kids can have a fun, comforting space even if they don’t get to decorate it themselves with superhero bedding and Lego everywhere! But ALSO, I would never judge you if you’re that parent who does let your kids decorate with all the primary colours because you do you, boo and if it makes you and your kids happy, I say do the dang thing!!!

Ok that is all. Have a wonderful judgement-free day!
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Decor, DIY · March 14, 2013

My version of DIY Cameos

I have always had a thing for cameos.  When I was little, I treasured this little pink and white cameo necklace or ring or brooch or something that I had.  Okay so it doesn’t sound as if I liked it THAT much…  Ultimately I like that the shape of someone’s silhouette is so unique, yet so unlike a photograph that the image is instantly more special.  And it seems this classic art-form is not leaving us anytime soon.

cameo final

While browsing the wonderful world of blogs, I came across one picture in particular that made me go “ooooohhh!”  Here it is:

nester focal wall

via The Nester

My favourite is the one of the dog.  Adorable.  I love how the silhouettes add a simple, yet personal touch to the whole (already personal) wall.  This is entirely inspiring for my own focal wall in our living room, because you may or may not also see a chalkboard in there (like this one).  What can I say, The Nester is just full of inspiring and amazing ideas!

Here are the TEN (sounds like a lot… it’s not. Promise.) steps I took to make my very own:

  1. Took/chose photographs of our family to be used. (I chose two wedding photos and took one of Luther.)
  2. Printed them in several different sizes to figure out what would work best.
  3. Traced the images onto white paper.cameo step 1
  4. Filled images in with black marker.
  5. Did not like the way they looked.  At all!  The marker left uneven lines on my perfectly drawn cameos!cameo step 2
  6. Decided to buy some quality white and black card-stock.
  7. Traced images onto black paper.
  8. Cut them out.
  9. Used spray adhesive on the backs of cameos and glued onto white paper.
  10. Cut white paper to size.  My cameos are now ready for framing.

 YAY!

At this point, I was “finished”…but there was one problem.  The frames I bought at IKEA (the HAVERDAL), has an off-white mat, and I was just not a fan of the way it looked.  I had some gold acrylic paint sitting around, so I painted one… the colour was pretty hideous – mustard-y and dull.  So I tried using the gold marker from the polka dot bowl project… but that would have taken forever (DUH, what was I thinking?), and much like the cameos I attempted to fill in with marker, there were very obvious marker lines.  Off I went to get some spray paint.  Problem fixed!cameo step 3

Here is the final project once again.  These will eventually go on the same wall as the chalkboard with some more artwork I’m preparing.  Can’t wait for that to happen!!!

Cameo trio

I love how special these are now!  Has anyone else tried or considered trying this?

signature

I link up here and here.

This post has been featured!

March 23, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

March 25, 2013
March 25, 2013
Written by Thalita - Visit Website

In: Decor, DIY · Tagged: artwork, cameo, gallery wall, gold, silhouette

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Comments

  1. Stephanie says

    March 14, 2013 at 12:14 pm

    love it! I’d like to do this for our gallery wall after we get married this summer (so I can use some of those pictures). and the dog will TOTALLY be included :)

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      March 14, 2013 at 12:46 pm

      Great idea! I used 2 wedding photos I would not likely frame, so it made me feel good to be able to use them. Congrats on the upcoming nuptials!

      Reply
  2. vmg206 says

    March 14, 2013 at 12:36 pm

    Beautiful! This project came out really nice. But, I just have to say….
    I. Love. Nester! My alltime fav blog.
    I found you today thru the Live Laugh Rowe Linky. I hope you get a chance to stop by my blog and leave a comment, too!
    ~ Megin of VMG206
    http://www.vmg206.blogspot.com

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      March 14, 2013 at 12:53 pm

      Thank you Megin!! It’s impossible not to love The Nester, isn’t it?!?! Just stopped over at your blog – amazing that you designed it all on your own, btw!!

      Reply
  3. thecapeonthecorner says

    March 14, 2013 at 2:06 pm

    that looks amazing, and i love the gold matting!

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      March 14, 2013 at 2:18 pm

      Thank you!! It looked like I had made a bad mistake at first since the acrylic paint looked terrible, but spray paint saved the day!

      Reply
  4. carriehurst says

    March 16, 2013 at 11:51 am

    So pretty! Thanks for sharing at Pinworthy Projects.

    Reply
  5. Kim says

    March 18, 2013 at 12:42 pm

    Thalita, another beautiful job. I may have to do this project as well. I just called out for ideas for an empty wall in my front room.

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      March 18, 2013 at 2:21 pm

      Fantastic! And it’s so easy to do, so why not, right?

      Reply
  6. Megan@JustForMeAndYou2 says

    March 18, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    These turned out so cute! I love that you spray painted the mats. I’m going to have to do that next time I don’t like a mat color.

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      March 18, 2013 at 2:20 pm

      Thanks Megan! I definitely recommend it :)

      Reply
  7. HeatherC says

    March 19, 2013 at 11:24 am

    Adorable project, you made it look so simple!!

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      March 19, 2013 at 4:23 pm

      Thank you Heather! Thankfully, it WAS simple :)

      Reply
  8. lovelymrsp says

    March 20, 2013 at 9:29 am

    I love the silhouette idea too! I am inspired by that great living room pic too! Thanks for linking up at Made in a Day last week!
    Kim

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      March 20, 2013 at 9:33 am

      Silhouettes are just a little classic and a little whimsical all at once aren’t they? I really like them :) Thanks for hosting the party!!

      Reply
  9. Holly Lefevre says

    March 21, 2013 at 2:40 am

    amazing!

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      March 21, 2013 at 6:20 am

      Thanks Holly!! :)

      Reply
  10. thethinkingcloset says

    March 26, 2013 at 2:28 am

    These turned out beautifully! So elegant…and I love the gold mattes. Gold is so hot right now! I want to incorporate it into every single craft I take on these days. ;-)

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      March 27, 2013 at 1:46 pm

      Thank you!!! I am also in love with gold and want it absolutely everywhere… the gallery wall is definitely going gold!

      Reply
      • thethinkingcloset says

        July 12, 2013 at 7:35 pm

        Twas really fun to revisit this post today when doing my hopping around for The CSI Project. Love it just as much now as I did back in March. (If anything, my affinity for gold has only grown.) And I still can’t believe you did those silhouettes with a sharpie. Mad skillz. Thanks for linking up, Thalita! So happy to see you at The CSI Project!

        Reply
        • Thalita says

          July 13, 2013 at 11:05 am

          Aw thanks, Lauren! It’s SUPER exciting that you are the guest judge this week!!! You’re busy gal, but you’re doing some wonderful things and I couldn’t be happier for you!

          Reply
          • Lauren @ The Thinking Closet says

            July 13, 2013 at 3:32 pm

            Thanks, Thalita! And not sure if you saw, but I chose your project as one of my top 5. Congrats!

            http://thecsiproject.com/2013/07/13/winners-of-the-spray-paint-galore-challenge/

          • Thalita says

            July 16, 2013 at 8:44 am

            Woo hoo!!!!! So exciting, and thank you!!!

  11. Jenna says

    July 3, 2013 at 5:02 pm

    I am loving gold and want to do cameos in my dining room! This is perfect for me! Pinning! Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      July 3, 2013 at 8:55 pm

      Thank you so much Jenna!!This was a fun and easy project – not to mention easy on the wallet. I can’t wait to see what you make!!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Mission “Gallery Wall”: Complete! says:
    May 17, 2013 at 8:02 am

    […] 3  HAVERDAL frames  – $7.99 each at IKEA (used for the cameos) […]

    Reply
  2. Blow out the candle: The Learner Observer is 1! says:
    August 17, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    […] and part 2) and it’s one of our favourite items in the house now.  I also DIY’ed some cameos and spray painted the mats which has started a dangerous trend in my house (thrift stores beware: I’m coming for all of […]

    Reply
  3. The Friday Five: Give Me Gold Polka Dots says:
    September 13, 2013 at 8:45 am

    […] YES!  This is definitely one I will be attempting.  I already started when I spray painted those cameo mats, but this is a whole new level!  You’ll want to click over to 6th Street Design School to […]

    Reply

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The chalkboard – FINISHED!!

Hey, I'm Thalita! Daydreamer, serial decorator, mama of twin boys, lover of thrift stores, fuelled by coffee! This is the space where I share my DIY triumphs and failures, as well as interior design inspiration and regular life stuff.

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We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online learning and we’re all losing it a little. Things that are helping: pretending that we’re in the Mystery Machine, headed for a campground with a mystery to solve! Jude says the camp counsellor is pretending to be a ghost while Luca was busy getting “Honey” into her sleeping bag for the night. And then a pirate showed up, so this story is really getting good 😂

@playmobil is honestly a life changer because the kids get to build AND use their imagination. It’s a win-win, and let’s face it, we could all use a little win these days.

How are you all coping with kids at home?
Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table looks like right now. No, there aren’t markers, papers, toys, food, crumbs and tears on it. Nope. Nope. Nope. None of the above. Everything’s cool and calm over here, folks.

(If it’s not abundantly clear, I am joking.)
What does your Monday morning look like today? We’re over here prepping for online learning (note computer on dining room table) and I’m using our @playosmo to get our kids engaged in some math and language activities before we really get going. Every time I post about our Osmo, I’m asked: “do you really like it?” And my answer is always “YES!” I mean, just look at these kiddos. Jude is obsessed with the tangram and Luca loves sounding our words - he was trying to figure out whether to use ‘k’ or ‘c’ for ‘cat’ here. To them, they’re “playing”...but we all know what’s REALLY going on! #unboxingosmo #osmosocialclub
Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out r Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out reels, but I’m not letting that stop me. I made one showing you the materials and steps to make this super easy ornament storage so would you go watch it, pretty please?

I’ve been using this method of ornament storage for 7 years and it all started with a cardboard box, some red cups and a single layer. A few years later I upgraded the system to multiple layers, used foam board and white cups and voila! Scroll over to see what I mean.

Would you try this? It’s super easy and you can probably still go ahead and just use old cardboard and whatever cups you have on hand. It’s the best thing I ever did for my holiday decor!! Just make sure you use double sided tape or hot glue to attach the cups - loose cups are no bueno!

If you do this, show me, ok? I wanna see everyone put away their ornaments with no breakage! 🙌
Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of wee Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of weeks...but with a puppy in the middle of it all. We’re picking up Taco on Friday so prepare yourself for puppy pictures ALL over the place.

Also: I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and have taken a little break from both posting and consuming when it comes to social media. I’m trying to soak up the holiday magic, read things other than captions (as I write this that seems weird), and even writing more things down.

This time of year always makes me reflective - less because it’s the end of a calendar year and more because it’s my birthday in 9 days. Yes. It’s on the 25th. Yep. Christmas Day. No, seriously. Yeah, Christmas baby! I don’t mind it now, but I didn’t like it as a kid. Oh you know someone who also has a birthday on (or very close to) Christmas! Cool! <— that was just me reacting to like every single conversation ever about having a birthday on December 25th. 😂
I’m still thinking about these adorable little @ I’m still thinking about these adorable little @tubicenlighting lamps that you just touch to turn on and off. And this cutie little door all decked out with a smart doorbell and lock. And the beautiful blue kitchen by @remodelcanada.ca. And all of the vanities from @canaromatoronto. And this gorgeous hardwood flooring from @coswickcanada.ca.

Can you believe this was all under one roof? @improvecanada has 350 showrooms and it was so much fun seeing how many we could get to yesterday.

I’ll be sharing lots more about @improvecanada in the coming months, but if you’re curious and want to go see it for yourself, they’re open! You can call and book an appointment or even have a customer service rep help you make an appointment at showrooms suited to what you’re looking for. Pretty great, right?
#improvecanada # ad #makeitright
So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now I just need to gather all of the boys for an adorable family photo. Christmas miracle, maybe?

I made these sweaters for all of us last weekend using my @officialcricut Joy and now I may need to start personalizing a LOT more shirts around here! It was my first time using infusible ink and I love how the sweaters stays super soft! I may just be wearing this for the rest of the year!

O.S. If it wasn’t clear, our last name is Murray 😆

Have you made matching Christmas sweaters? What would be on yours if you did? # ad #cricutmade
Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or may Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or maybe you’re like me and you like to think you’re crafty but lack the patience to take out a whole bunch of things to make one tiny craft? Well then I have the thing for you. Meet the @officialcricut Joy! It’s tiny but mighty, and you can just have it casually sitting on a shelf waiting to be used when inspiration strikes because it takes up basically no room at all! I made these labels using mine, and you can swipe to see another easy project you can make with a Cricut Joy. It’s the perfect little gift! I even wrote a blog post about why I think so. I’ll share another Cricut project with you later this week!! # ad #cricutmade
Can you believe this room was completed two years Can you believe this room was completed two years ago? And I still love it as much today as I did then. And I still believe that my kids can have a fun, comforting space even if they don’t get to decorate it themselves with superhero bedding and Lego everywhere! But ALSO, I would never judge you if you’re that parent who does let your kids decorate with all the primary colours because you do you, boo and if it makes you and your kids happy, I say do the dang thing!!!

Ok that is all. Have a wonderful judgement-free day!
Put the finishing touches on our front porch this Put the finishing touches on our front porch this past weekend and I gotta say, this might be my favourite one yet.

Truth: I actually really dislike the exterior of our house. With exception of the front door, it’s pretty darn ugly. The 1970’s red brick mixed with buttercream yellow and burgundy siding are like the WORST combo ever. Add in little bits of the foundation which is painted blue and the concrete isn’t pretty either.

BUT those things don’t stop me from prettying up this little space anyway. Because for like 99% of us, making a home takes time. Renovating takes time. Even if TV shows and social media lead us to believe otherwise.

Now if you want to see some front porches full of personality and holiday cheer, all by Canadian ladies who get that nothing happens overnight, do I have a great lineup for you! Go check them out! #acanadianchristmasporch
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@thesuburbanhome
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