Gathering for the Gallery

Good things take time, and the best things usually take way longer than you could have possibly anticipated. When I shared my plans for this gallery wall back in June, I imagined it taking two weeks to get everything gathered and on the walls. In actuality though? It's August and nowhere near 'done'. 

I'm working with Minted to help finish this wall, and I truly do love their marketplace for art. I love that it has a mix of photography, illustration, painting, typography, abstract, and even a unicorn or two ;)

Find Your Happy Place

Botanical No. 1

The best gallery walls have a mix that look like they've been carefully curated over a period of time. While my first gallery wall took almost 3 years, Minted's mix of art definitely helps speed that process up.

Remember, The Meadow, Wake II

Lookin' Good, Quiet Places, Nice Work

I've been planning & tweaking the layout, and the final pieces are starting to come together, but it's probably going to be September before this project is finished. And you know what? I'm okay with that. Because to truly love the end result, you have to love the process it takes to get there.

And just as an aside, I was really impressed with Minted's framing options. I chose white wood (on the 'work hard & be nice print') whitewashed french farmhouse & whitewashed herringbone, and they all look way better in person than they do online. 

So that's all I have for this gallery wall update :) To see more of the process, you can check out my Instagram or past blog posts.

xo

Artwork & frames were sent by Minted, but the gallery wall struggles are all my own ;)

Nailed It: Canada Day

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Had to schedule this post before I left this week to make sure I could celebrate with all my fellow Canucks today :) If you've got any fun celebrations or firework shows to attend tonight, this mani would be perfect!

I used Julep Karissa (red), Julep Brigitte (white), Julep Hartleigh (chunky glitter on thumb) and China Glaze Fairy Dust on the thumb & two white nails (under the maple leafs) to add some holographic glitter. I let everything dry, and then freehanded the maple leafs with acrylic paint, which is a little more forgiving in the clean-up area when painted over dry nail polish. Topped with a clear top coat, the acrylic paint lasted as long as the rest of my mani (almost a full week!) so I will definitely be using that trick again ;)

Hope everyone celebrating this week has an awesome time!

xo

Weekend Reading

@brittdouglas_

I always keep bookmarks or tabs open for posts or things I want to share here, and since it's been a while, the list is a little long today haha but isn't that what weekend reading is for? ;) Here's to crossing things off our to-do lists and having a beautiful weekend!

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Think you're good with colours? Try this mildly addicting game that will test that fact.

Just a wee bit obsessed with these repurposed vintage plates from Melissa of The Sweet Escape.

Something you may not know about me? I'm a huge fan of the Fast & Furious franchise - no really! There is a bit of a back story there, but needless to say, I saw & loved the latest instalment - and I wasn't the only one.

Is your to-do list full of should-do's? Then this essay on the crossroads of should & must is for you.

23 photos that sum up trying to get your life together. #accurate

We live in a beautiful world.

I'm already a big believer in the power of quiet, but I loved Grace's post on listening to what really matters.

Thoughts on being selfish on Instagram - some really good thoughts on what we share & the reality behind it.

Creative business owner? Here's some tools to help you work better.

In case you missed it, Anna's blog got a makeover & looks so stinkin' good! I seriously get to work with some of the best people.

"This quiet revolution is unavoidable, really, because we humans have a strange and predictable relationship with innovation." - Kevan Kaiser on being in the internet, but not of it

Ever wondered what your pet does when you leave the house? I'm pretty sure Winnie sleeps all day, but oh man, I got a good laugh at this trailer for 'The Secret Life of Pets".

Can reading make you happier?

Social media does have it's uses, and getting hired may be one of them.

Feeling stuck? Here's some thoughts on hitting the reset button and turning June into January.

The only lemon loaf recipe you'll ever need. Promise ;)

xo

The Never Ending Gallery Wall

As I've been working to finish off my gallery wall, it hasn't been feeling quite 'right'. It needed something and I just couldn't place my finger on what it was. 

I've shared my original gallery wall on here several times (most recently here & here) and I'm still totally in love with it. So stumbling with this 'expansion', if you will, left me feeling a bit unsure.

I've worked with minted a few times, so when they reached out to help me with my art problem, I realized this was the perfect chance to get out of my rut. You can see a bit of my plan above (to scale! With door, sconce, light switch & baseboards haha) and I love the idea of creating the wall around one or two 'big' pieces. That beauty front & centre is over 30"x30" and will be the perfect focal point. Everything else is a mix of prints I already own, prints I'm planning to buy (I really could do a whole wall of gorgeous photos from Paris by Anna :) and a few from minted too. I love the mix of old, new, and personal touches, with a dash of quirky thrown in!

You know I'll be posting on Instagram the second I get everything hung up, but until then, you can explore all my gallery wall shenanigans on Instagram with the hashtags #gallerywallfordays & #neverendinggallerywall

Ps, if you love that 'Done is Better Than Perfect' print I own, make sure you enter to win one for yourself! The giveaway ends tonight!

xo

Disclaimer: minted is providing me with the art to complete this project, but all thoughts, opinions & ambitious gallery wall ideas are my own ;)