Breaking up the Gray and a HUGE Discount

As you might remember, I painted all my hallways and stairways gray that allowed the newly white trim really pop!  Slowly, I've broken up all the gray with the stairway makeover and was trying to decide on the mirror I got for the  hallway.  Well, the after all your great comments and feedback, and not wanting to deal with a sulking husband, I decided not to hang that mirror and instead....

Put this on the wall instead!  I saw this amazing picture on a blog I read, S.HopTalk and Suzanne was so kind to send me the hi-res photo when I contacted her about if I could buy the picture. I was so excited because upon seeing the photo on her blog, I immediately loved it!  It was just so pretty and fit perfectly with my house.

Then a couple days later, a Groupon popped up for $45 16x20 canvas with photo of my choice!  How perfect! I bought it and later uploaded the photo and got my new art work for only $45 total.  Even better news - You, too can get this deal!

Today that same company, Canvas by Demand, is offering another Groupon that ANYONE, ANYWHERE can purchase because this is for online order!  The Deal:

$45 for One 16"x20" Gallery-Wrapped Canvas Including Shipping and Handling from Canvas on Demand ($126.95 Value)

Get this deal TODAY only (Thursday, July 22) by clicking here! However, you can use this gift certificate/credit now through October 23rd!  So if you don't have a photo yet - you have time to find one/take one before using your Groupon deal.

I had a great experience with Canvas on Demand.  They even upgraded my canvas size to 16x24 for no extra charge because my photo git that size better.  The canvas came securly and safely wrapped up and even came with wall hanging hooks and all.

If you are new to Groupon, I highly recommend taking the plunge!  These deals are NOT too good to be true - they are great deals and are true! :) I've gotten like 7 things via Groupon now and have had great experiences with using them all!  You just click the above link, enter your email and create a password and your are free to purchase these radically discounted offers!


Here are some more shots of my hallway with the new addition:

Enjoy!

The Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada

Are we going back to Chopines?
I went to Toronto on April 3rd and visited the Bata Museum. I thought these shoes were quite insane, they were called Chopines (details below).

Shoes, Swedish, 17th century, on loan from Skokloster Castle, Sweden
The architecture of this shoe is highly idiosyncratic. The shoemaker made a sole by combining elements of a chopine with a high heel and he made an upper that combines a shoe and a mule. It seems that the shoemaker was attempting to merge the extreme elevation offered by the chopine with the up-to-the-minute fashion of high heels. The resultant shoes are a remarkable statement of ostentatious display.
Copyright © Collection of Skokloster Castle, Sweden (Photo: Göran Schmidt)

Here's another one...

Italian, 1580-1620, Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada
This pair of velvet covered chopines embellished with lace, ruching and tassels were clearly never intended to be worn as overshoes but instead were items of luxury in the wardrobe of an upper-class woman.
Photograph © 2009 Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada

Now!!!
Don't the shoes below seem to be inspired by chopines (aka impossible to wear fashionable shoes)?

I thought is was an interesting observation....

Enid P.

Sweet Valentine's Day Gifts

That little holiday (can we really call it a holiday?) is coming up, one month away - Valentine's Day. I've never been a big fan. It's just a day where restaurants can charge twice or triple as much, florists can quadruple the prices of a dozen red roses and girls get let down because something big didn't happen.

But, as much as I think it's kinda dumb, I will still make the best of another day and enjoy it, just a little, with my husband.

Some cute gift ideas (I'm not big into giant presents for a fake holiday) to give or get your loved ones (friends, family, significant other, etc - take notes, Husband *wink*)...

Made for Two:

Snuggle for 2

Swanky? Fun? Silly? Whatever comes to your mind - I think these are so cute!His & Hers Pillow Cases

Jewelry always says love:

Double Key Necklace from Etsy Shop: Shoogi
"You hold the keys to my heart" - yes, it takes 2 keys to open my heart.

Gorgeous!
Sue earrings in gold from Etsy Shop: Odalisca

I just love this print - so simple and pretty. This would be great in my living room...

Love Print from Etsy Shop: MadeByGril

Romance in Ruffles?

Pretty, pretty, pretty!!! I want this for our living room couch!!

Etsy Shop: JillyBeanThings

Sweeping Ruffles Shirt

In Honor of Design introduced this Etsy shop to me and I fell in love with the cute and very affordable prints:

I would like this one for my living room...

"Love that Moves the Sun and Other Stars"

Both prints from Etsy Shop: Raw Art Letter Press

What is your favorite Valentine's gift to get? What about to give (for a significant other, friend or other special someone)?

I'll get some guy gift ideas going sometime before V-day, too. But for now, you can share this post with your fellow guy as a few starting point hints! :)

Smooch!

Happy Monday friends! It's always a very bittersweet day...sad that the weekend is over - it went so fast! But excited for a new week with new events and plans to look forward too.

Just a little cute eye-candy for you this morning.

Andy Warhol's Lips print

15% off with code: Fall15 at Fulcrum Gallery
through today only
on EVERYTHING.

I think this would be so cute in a bathroom or above a vanity table.
It just makes me smile.

DIY: Personalized Art

I learned about this great gift idea and personalized art from Bower Power a couple of months ago, and since then, I've put it to use making 3 meaningful gifts for fabulous people with my own twist... I plan to make more, for friends and for myself and the hubs that represent all the unique experiences. Here are two of mine that I made (I forgot to take a picture of the first one made):

Pink Glamour.
Just add a fabulous bright frame to ivory card stock.

Green Envy.
Here I used bright card stock with a neutral frame.

So how to do it yourself?

You need the following:
Card stock (your choice of color)
Frame
Computer with Paint
Printer

To make these for my friends (a little harder than making one for yourself), I looked through pictures that reminded me of places that we went together and that were meaningful. I thought about where they were from (grew up), went to school, towns lived in, favorite vacations, restaurants, bars, areas, etc. In some instances I resorted to Facebook profiles to look for clues and help. :)

I used Paint to type the words of places, towns, countries, schools, etc in different fonts and sizes to form a word collage and fill up the space that was pre-measured to fit the frame.

Print, and that's it! You might want to get some extra card stock for testing and accidents. The first one I created took a few more prints than the 2nd and 3rd, so I think I have it down now!

Let me know if you try this! I'd love to see what you come up with. Send your pictures of your word collages to me at chasingdaviesATgmailDOTcom or post them to your own blog and share the URL here. I'd love it!

Shoes on Canvas

I just adore these two prints by Janet Hill Studio. Check out her Etsy shop for more paintings.