Memo boards are just one of life’s necessities, at least for me.  I have a giant custom memo board that I built earlier this year for the mud room, that one is for all the *stuff* I need to remind myself when I take the kids off to school or head out the door.  Mail, Netflix movies, birthday party invitations, coupons, etc.

In my office, I needed something different, something just for me!  A spot to post calendars, mementos, postcards, kid art, fabric swatches, photographs, all my little treasures.  A place for those nostalgic keepsakes that I want to keep on display, not just to remind me of moments and memories, but also to inspire.

I’ve wanted a gigantic board for awhile now, and preferred the look of fabric over a cork board.  I considered building another one with plywood, but didn’t like the idea of how heavy it would be, and I’d have to drive big ol’ nails into my grasscloth wallpaper, no no no thank you!  Then I spied a giant 48" x 48" artist canvas for half price at Michaels and decided to use that instead ~ it was lightweight and the perfect size.  Unfortunately, an artist canvas doesn’t hold thumbtacks very well on its own, so I decided to reinforce it with some cork roll along the back.

It’s kinda like wallpapering . . .  you apply plenty of glue then smooth out the cork roll along the back of the canvas.

Work in sections, moving from top to bottom.  To hold the cork down on your glue, grab a bunch of cans of paint and let them sit for about 30 minutes per section.

When your glue is dry, wrap your canvas in your fabric of choice.  I like linen, so I went with that, plus in was on the summer sale rack.  I also glued on a ribbon border for a little extra detail.  As a final step, I hot glued the cork to the wood around the perimeter to secure it to the edges.

Over time, I’ll be adding all sorts of favorite things, both new and old.  For now, I’m loving the size and potential.  Call it organized chaos, or contained clutter, but personally, I see it as a place to keep everything that’s special to me.

Have you ever made a memo or inspiration board for yourself?  Where do you keep all your little reminders of favorite things in life?

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A very big thanks to all the ladies who sent in their submission for the HomeGoods ‘Mom Cave’ contest, via email or by linking to the party.  Let me tell you, it was excruciating, and I mean painful, trying to narrow it down to five winners, and then choose a top prize. 

It was such a delight reading each and every one of your entries.  The judges (Layla, Rhoda, and I) spent the weekend reviewing them.  I don’t think I’ll be volunteering to be a judge for anything anytime in the near future . . . it really was that difficult!  But after the votes were cast by three judges, and all criteria considered, it’s my pleasure to announce the following winners:

The top prize, the $250 HomeGoods gift card is awarded to, drumroll please . .

Blair of ‘Blair’s Blessings‘ ! 

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Hello and happy happy Friday!  The holidays are upon us, so it’s time to start thinking about the ladies, men, and babies in your life!   This year, for Mother’s Day, I bought my Mom the Circle of Love bracelet from The Vintage Pearl, and she absolutely treasures her piece.  It’s the only keepsake she has with her four children’s name on it, what Mom doesn’t want one of those?

This weekend, I bring you a giveaway from one of my fantastic sponsors ~ your chance to win some hand stamped silver jewelry from The Vintage Pearl.  There will be two lucky winners of this weekend’s giveaway – each will receive a $75 dollar gift certificate to purchase something very special.  Take a peek at this small sampling of these hand stamped sterling silver pieces available.

Eligibility to win one of two $75 dollar gift certificates to The Vintage Pearl

1)  Hop on over to The Vintage Pearl and pick a favorite among this collection.  Come on back and leave a comment telling us which piece you’d choose if you won.

2) For a second chance to win, either tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, or link to this giveaway on Facebook, then come back and mention in a second comment where you linked (FB or Twitter).

Giveaway ends Monday November 8th at 8 p.m. PST.  Two winners will be chosen by Random.org.

Good luck and happy fall weekend!!

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Lately I’ve been inspired to bring more color into my life, especially my work space.  I like to be surrounded by girly glamorous sophisticated things in my home office, and the color pairing I’m fixated on lately is raspberry and teal, can’t you tell by the header?  (Designed by Fabulous K Creative, I love it!)

Here’s a peek at a few changes made to my home office in the last few weeks.  The sofa was replaced with a refinished credenza and a few deep pink and plum accessories also made their way into this space.  The lamp was a thrift store find, spray painted last week with Valspar’s ‘Eggplant’ ~ I found it on clearance at Michaels for $0.49 a can!

Above the credenza sits a giant inspiration board and soon it will be covered with more reminders and mementoes.  I’m the type of person if I don’t write something down, or have it staring me in the face, I’ll completely forget about it, so this memo board will be another tool to keeping me sane organized.  Next week, I’ll show you how I made it!

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As much as I love a beautiful painted wall in a single color, I also adore the look of painted stripes on walls.  They can be bold or subtle, symmetrical or varied, horizontal or vertical, but done just right, stripes are perfect for creating big impact on a budget.

Designing, measuring, and prepping your space for stripes is difficult enough, but the greatest frustration felt by most is taking the time to paint stripes around a room with textured walls, and then peeling off the tape, only to find uneven lines.

via Remodeling Center

Last year, I attempted vertical stripes in my master bath with pearlescent paint.  While I loved the added shimmer, I gave up on the project because I ended up with those dreaded uneven lines.  The project has been on the back burner ever since.

In yesterday’s post, I asked the question of how to get perfect painted stripes on textured walls, discreetly hoping YOU would share your secrets.  Ha!  My plan worked.  Several of you have perfected a technique for stripes and you answered the call.

Samantha Pynn

If you’ve had the desire to add stripes to one of your spaces, well hear what a few readers have to say about it!

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