One of my all time favorite mini-projects

I love feature walls and my favorite way to make one is using wall stencils!  I think they can be such an inexpensive ways to "jazz" up a dull wall or space. I also think they're a great alternative to throwing some frames up on the wall. We decided to do one in our living room, opposite the fireplace since that is the wall where the TV is.  I loved the trellis pattern, but when we decided to do the project, it was about midnight and no stores were open for me to look for the stencil.  So what do we decide to do? Make our own!  It was super cheap and though it did take us (my sweet husband) over an hour to make the stencil, it was totally worth it!

Wall before... blah.

What the stencil looks like

Final product!

We used the same blue paint color, but mixed it with a white high gloss for a little dimension.  I love how it turned out!  If you find a wallpaper that you love, see if you can find or make a stencil that mimics the pattern. You'll save lots of $ and you won't have to mess with the pains of putting up wallpaper.

Talk about motivation!

I can never get enough of this blog!  Any time I need some extra inspiration, this is usually the first place I go.

Some of my favorite rooms in her house

On top of her amazing talent for home decor, she also has a business selling her gorgeous artwork -- many with scripture which makes them even more adorable. Here are a few of my favorites:

 

Inspiration

... because that's where it begins, right? I am a sucker for most anything ecclectic/french/shabby chic (actually, "chic" is pretty much required in any of my google image searches) and a little hollywood glamour.  What does that make my style? I need to think of a name for that...

Anyway, here are some of my all time favorite rooms:

Love the headboard. Love the bed. Love the wallpaper even more.

I really like how this designer used feminine colors in small doses

This white tufted headboard looks heavenly! 

 Notice all of the turquoise? If I wasn't careful, my whole house would be some variation of turquoise : )

I'm a firm believer in animal print... done in moderation... always faux.  I think it adds a fun dimension to a space.

 I can't get over this color palette -- I could stare at this picture all day long.  It must be the pop of purple. It's enough for a nice feminine touch, but not enough to annoy the hubby... I don't so think anyway! ; )

 I love this yellow and grey room! Nothing in my house is yellow; I must be scared of the color or something, but I always seem to like it in other homes.

The beginning of something good...

After following my favorite DIY/decorating blogs, I've finally decided to begin my own.  I'm really excited about embarking on this new journey, and I hope to chronicle our past and present projects as well as my favorite blogsters have!  Thanks so much for reading  =)

Melanie