Antlers: No Longer Just for Hunters

I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t always loved antlers.
Maybe because I can’t help but picture them displayed in a rustic cabin with no electricity, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, hanging by the dozen.

But when I married a man who loves to hunt, (he claims it’s biblical… Genesis 27:3, anyone?), I gained a new perspective on these “trophies”, and have grown quite fond of them over the last 2 years.

Maybe Ian and I don’t see eye-to-eye on exactly how to display them, but at least we’re making progress.

Here’s a few that have caught my eye recently:

– one –
Ok so I would never actually paint one of Ian’s like this (and Lord knows I’m not going hunting with him anytime soon), but luckily I found a little pair of my own at an antique fair a few weeks ago. I haven’t done anything with them yet, but I’m definitely considering this option.

– two –
Probably the only use of antlers here that Ian and I would agree on. How great is this room, paired with a huge antler chandelier? Often chandeliers made out of sheds like this can be overwhelming and make the room seem too heavy. But this, this is perfection. Tons of daylight with splashes of modern, rustic, and natural elements.

– three –
How adorable is this print from Etsy? I’d love to have it on our mantle.

| four |
Brilliant! A wreath! We all know I love wreaths (proof is here & here ), so why not add 1 more to the collection?

| five |
An antler shelf…genius.

| six |
I think this might be my favorite of all. Faux flowers added to the antlers give a feminine touch while still remaining slightly manly. Great for hanging jewelry, or so fun in a nursery.

| seven |
Antlers simply displayed as a work of art. With just the right amount of softness to give dimension to a modern fireplace like this one.

| eight & nine |
I got this for Ian myself last year for Christmas, (purchased here) and it now hangs on what I’m trying to make into our gallery wall. I love it because it’s modern, but masculine.
And last, but certainly not least, the little antlers I picked up at the antique fair. I had originally got them to drill into the wall and be curtain tie-backs, but for now their displayed in our kitchen along with all of my white dishes.

What are your thoughts on antlers?

What I’ve Really Been Up To

To say that this little corner of cyberspace has been has been neglected lately is an understatement.
I’ve somewhat abandoned it.
Not on purpose, of course, but because life has a funny way of sneaking up on you sometimes.

I guess you could say that I had an epiphany the other day, which was this:

Don’t waste life infront of your computer.

So I’m trying my best to do (or not do, however you look at it) just that.

Sure, I’ve been working on DIY projects, but tediously photographing step-by-step detailed shots is so not me.
Neither is wasting time on Pinterest when I could be spending time with Ian or out walking the dog.

Yet my readers continue to amaze me (since when are 200+ people interested in my thoughts, ideas, & design?)

And so I’m doing me best to balance life, work, and a blog.

Monday’s post was a glorified version of what I’ve been up to, but here’s a real, down and dirty version of our life lately:

This is what I came home to last Friday. We’ve been trying to leave Goose out for short periods of time while we’re gone to see how she does, and well, let’s just say she’s now lost that privilege. This was the aftermath of a small, bolster pillow. Apparently they vacuum-pack down feathers into those things. Really, truly, I just laughed. Because, let’s be honest, that is pretty funny.

I always told myself I wasn’t going to be the wife to let myself go after we got married, which is ironic because up until the last couple of weeks I could count on 1 hand how many times I’d worked out since being married. But all that’s changed thanks to this handy gadget. My Nike+ Fuel Band.
Side note: Has anyone seen the movie In Time? Because that is exactly what this reminds me of.
But in all seriousness, it’s actually pretty neat. I’m not sure how accurate it is, but who cares as long as I see the GOAL flashing at the end of the day?

Along those same lines…I’m now blading.
Don’t judge. It’s a great workout. And although I’m not quite as good as I was in 5th grade when I could blade down the steepest hill in the neighborhood, I’d say I’ve still got it in me. Ian refuses to be seen with me when I’m wearing them, though.
The first night I got them I went for a ride around the block (bad idea #1, going at night), and decided to take Goose with me and just let her run next to me (bad idea #2). Let’s just say her constant biting at my ankles and stopping infront of me every 2 seconds led to a crash. And crashing when you’re 25 is much scarier than crashing when you’re 10. The whole time I was falling I prayed, please don’t let me break a bone.
P.S. My wrist still hurts and I had gravel in my palms for like 3 days.

Are my parent’s not the most adorable couple ever? We celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this month.

Ian came home with these for me the other day…to celebrate our 8 year and 3 month anniversary of dating. Yupp. We are the annoying couple who celebrate every month.
And I love it.
By the way, these are heavenly. It was all I could do to not eat the entire 16 ounces in 1 sitting.

Eating brussel sprouts. What? They were actually delish! Try | this | recipe!

Hiking to this amazing destination called Blue Pool. (The person who named it was really original). But seriously, this is beautiful and well-worth the 4-5 mile roundtrip hike. If you’re ever in Oregon, go here. We were, however, slightly disappointed when we got there because we thought we’d be able to jump in. But this photo was taken from the only accesible place to get in…30+ feet above the water. No. Thank. You.

Believe it or not, I have actually been working on a few projects, and I promise tutorials are coming. Here’s a sneak peek.

And finally, I really am working on getting a shop up and running! I promise it’s coming soon, so bear with me. Christmas cards are in the works. Yes, Christmas! It’s really only 4 months away when you think about it. So why not get an early start on your cards? Let’s just say the designs I’ve come up with so far involve antlers and non-traditional holiday colors.

Enjoy your weekend! And come back next week!
(I promise not to be quite so much of a slacker.)

What I’ve Been Up To

1 – 2 Loving the new | print company | I found and the way Layne’s invitations turned out.

3. Is their packaging not the cutest?

4. Wondering why my chocolate chip cookies were flat as a pancake.

5. Drinking way too much iced coffee, but dying to try | this | concoction.

6. Admiring the | print | I framed.

7. Using a plate stand as an iPad holder. Why has no one thought of this before? Genius, I tell you!

8. Making | handmade hand soap | though disappointed with the outcome. Not worth the effort, folks. Our handsoap is officially the consistency of snot. Gross.

Current Obsessions | Maps

Lately, I’m kind of loving obsessed with maps. I don’t know what it is about them, but they have a certain quality that adds a pop of color, texture, and interest to any space, regardless of the size.
Here’s a few of my favorites (click on the image to be redirected to Houzz):

I love that this bedroom still maintains an adult feel, even with a map that doubles as a headboard. It seems like so often maps are solely used in children’s room, but this goes to show that a map is perfect for any room!

The pop of orange on this map adds the perfect punch of color to an otherwise neutral nursery. Plus, you’re kind of setting your child up to be a world-traveler if you hang a map above their crib, right?

An entire wall devoted to a map, how fun is that? Use push pins to mark the places you’ve been, want to go, or let your child select an area of the map and pray for that particular area together.

Map pages pieced together are a great idea when a large wall decal isn’t quite feasible. Plus, this would make a super-easy DIY! Someone who I know actually used map pages as a floor for 1 room in their house and then sealed it, the results are amazing!

I’m kind of in love with everything about this nursery, but especially the map! Again, gender neutral.

Have a blank wall? Frame an inexpensive large map and you’ve instantly added color to your space! Perfect if you’re renting and don’t want to go to the trouble of adhering a huge map, plus it’s great if you’re on a tight budget but want a little something.

This is wallpaper, people! A vintage black and white map of Paris adds a touch of elegance to any space. I don’t care if it’s a jail cell, you can add elegance to a jail cell with a vintage Paris map. Fact.

Pottery barn sells large decals that are 5’x8′, perfect for a single wall, or around a corner like they’ve done here.
Found | here |

And, quite possible my favorite, chalkboard paint over the oceans! How clever? Even cuter with a few kid’s drawings on the chalk.
Found | here |

There you have it, my obsession with maps. Love them. Aaaand I fully believe that thanks to technology taking over, actual maps like these will become somewhat of a lost art as the need for them decreases. In other words: Stock up.

Crafty Christmas | What I Received

I know I said I was going to post this yesterday but Monday came and went before I had a chance to get around to posting, so we’re ending Crafty Christmas in July a day late. My bad! Let me begin today by saying thank you so much for all your sweet comments and excitement for Crafty Christmas Week! This has been in the works for quite awhile, and I’m so happy with the way everything came together in the end. I know that my posts often don’t have a lot of instruction (I really am trying to be better about that), but thanks for bearing with me!

I can honestly say that Crafty Christmas was one of the most fun, creative ways to celebrate Christmas that I think we could’ve come up with. It was much more fun to make something from the heart for loved ones rather than try to find an insignificant item at the mall on a last-minute shopping spree. It’s obvious that each of these presents came from the heart and were made with lots of love.

Enough talk, here’s what I received for Crafty Christmas:

– 1 –

My sister made this darling felt garland that I think we’d originally seen in a J.Crew window last winter. She gave them to us early so they could be included in our Christmas decorations and I love them! Plus, I’m not ashamed to admit they’re still hanging above our sink, strung between 2 cabinets.

– 2 –

She also made me 2 pillows out of antique flour-sacks.

– 3 –

My sister-in-law made these bobby-pins for all us girls. Adorable + they are really tight and hold my thick, often untamable hair perfectly!

– 4 –

Another shot of the garland my sister made.

– 5 –

I count this as a combined gift from my sister-in-law and brother- a hand-painted, distressed sign that reads ‘give thanks’ on one side and ‘gone hunting’ on the other in camouflage. (I mostly leave it on the ‘give thanks’ side!) I love love LOVE this gift! My brother has always made amazing signs on both old and new pieces of wood. This particular piece of wood he found on the beach and was already that great blue color, so he added the words and viola! Instant (amazing) gift that sits in our kitchen!

– 6 –

This gift technically wasn’t part of Crafty Christmas last year, my mom gave it to Ian and I for our first Christmas together after we got married, but it’s the most adorable advent calendar ever, so I had to share it! Each day has a little pocket to stick small gifts in, as well as an embroidered number complete with an antique button. I love this gift and it’s something we get to reuse over and over! The best part  is that the first year my mom gives them to us, she fills them… bonus!

– 7 –

The second flour sack pillow from my sister…

– 8 –

Another set of bobby pins, these from my sister. Apparently I missed the memo on making bobby pins, but now I’m set for awhile!

– 9 –

And another shot of my mom’s advent calendar. Have I told you how much I love this thing??

The best part? These are only a portion of the gifts I received that were handmade. There were other small jewelry pieces exchanged, my mom made us all reusable shopping bags that I can just pop in the wash when it gets dirty, and she made me an adorable pillow out of an old quilt…but unfortunately Goose got it! It’s not completely destroyed, it still sits on our couch, it just looks a little more tattered now.

Merry Crafty Christmas to all!