Making Pictures

Hi friends!

I hope you are enjoying your summer!

I have a decorating post for you today...

I've been putting the finishing touches on our family room and thought you'd like to see how I make pictures for my home.

My home is a mix of old and new, with an emphasis on what feels authentic for an old farmhouse.

Sometimes when I'm out and about, I'll happen upon something that really speaks to me; something that I think will be perfect for my home.

This happened recently when I was in a gift shop.

I found a rack of greeting cards that I thought were really beautiful.

They were $3.00 each.

I bought three and decided to make them into pictures for this skinny wall in the family room...

The frames are from Hobby Lobby. I think they look antique! They were $6.00 each.

I bring up prices to demonstrate that walls can be filled beautifully on a budget.

You just need to be willing to think outside the box!

(Tip: If you decide to do this, make sure to pop the easel off the back before hanging it. If you leave it on, the frame won't lay nice and flat against the wall.)

This most recent picture making project caused me to realize that I've done this quite a bit throughout my home.

The idea started years ago with my grandparents.

When I was a teenager I was given this picture for my bedroom...

(The note on the back...)

My grandparents tore a page from an old book and framed it for me.

It hung in my childhood bedroom, and has been with me in all my homes ever since.

The idea to make pictures has stayed with me, too.

Come take a look around! I'll show you some examples...

This bird botanical came out of an old book.

I had this antique frame that I wanted to use but the sizes didn't match up.

When this happens, my trick is to get a matte cut to 'marry' the two.

(You can get small mattes cut at craft stores very inexpensively. Just bring in the picture and the frame and they'll measure and cut everything for you.)

I've done this trick several times throughout my home.

Here's another one...

Framing pictures from old books is a great way to decorate.

If the book is already damaged or holds no sentimental value, I have no problem doing this.

Here are other pictures I've made using pages from old books, and frames I had on hand...

In these cases a matte wasn't needed...

I just adore this one...

Reminds me of my Nola when baby Elsa was born.

See?...

(I may be getting off track, haha!)

Even old sheet music and postcards can be beautiful framed...

This last decorating trick I'm about to show you is one I've gotten a lot of milage out of...

Years ago I came across a site that offered free downloads from old books.

I found a flora and fauna book and selected my favorite pages to do this wall in my mudroom...

I simply printed them right here at home using card stock in the printer.

I took a different approach to matting these, however.

Since I purchased the frames new, they came with paper inserts - as all new store-bought frames do.

I flipped the paper over to reveal a perfectly plain white sheet.

Then I taped the picture onto the sheet before sliding it back into the frame.

(I measured a two-inch space on top, and a three-inch space on the bottom because as my mother would say, you need to give the eye a place to rest.)

Ta-da!

They look matted! And it was free!!!

I loved how this turned out so much, that I did a similar arrangement in my hallway upstairs...

Again, I just printed my favorite botanicals and put them in cheap, new frames.

(Taking the easels off the back before hanging them, of course. *wink)

Aren't these beautiful?!

But I couldn't stop there.

Once I saw how lovely this worked, I repeated the process with some African-themed prints in my boys' room...

(I'm sure I don't need to inform you that Soren "made" his bed the morning I snapped this picture, haha...)

If you decide to do this, make sure you find a site that says FREE downloads.

Some are not free, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can't print them.

For example, I found this precious baby owl years ago and just paid a small fee to get it printed.

(And here's my matte trick again, to 'marry' a print with a frame...)

I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.

Hopefully I've given you some ideas to try in your own home!

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."

~ Proverbs 24:3-4

Let me know in the comments if you try any of these tricks!

Happy decorating!

xo,

~ Courtney ~

Peace at Home

I'd like to jot down a couple of thoughts on the topic of peace at home...

~ a rainy morning ~

I think about this a lot when I have to leave my home. 

Exposure to the real world can be jarring.

But home life doesn't have to be.

We can make it however we want it!

Isn't that great?!

~ Peonies in bloom ~

Because of this, I have found myself living out some simple habits that I think really contribute to my peace of mind and our peace at home.

One is - I have eliminated news from my life.

I never have the news on in my home.

"I will walk in my house with a blameless heart. I will set no vile thing before my eyes."

- Psalm 101:2-3

It makes sense not to expose children to news, but have you ever thought about if it's healthy for you to be hammered over the head with news?

Think about it...

Are the news stations providing us a kindhearted service? OR... Are the news stations a business  whose job is to obtain and grow ratings with oftentimes an agenda besides!

I think we know it's the latter.

When I'm exposed to the news I find that afterward I feel scared and depressed.

And I don't want to be that kind of a mama!

Because I know that the news can steal my joy, I find that I'm a much more cheerful mother when I stay away from it. 

And a cheerful mother makes a pleasant and peaceful home!

One argument to this would be, But we need to be informed!

I do understand that.

But haven't you noticed that when something big comes up, people talk about it and you find out anyway?

I learned about the recent shooting in Texas from Micah who came home that night talking about it.

I didn't really need to see any alarming imagery about it on the news to know to say a prayer for the families - which is all I could do for them anyway even if I had seen it on the news.

I guess for me it boils down to this...

My job is to focus on the people right around me, especially those in my home, serving them in love and with a cheerful heart.

I can't do that well if I'm distracted and heavy-hearted because of the news.

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things."

- Philippians 4:8

~ our garden ~

The second thing is - I do not fight or argue with Micah.

Neither he nor I came from homes where fighting was commonplace, so it comes fairly easy to us.

But nevertheless, disagreements come up in any marriage.

The question is, how do you handle the disagreements when they come up?

"As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."

- Romans 12:18

When I was very young and newly married I would dig my heels in and insist upon my way!

With time I was able to see that I was only making myself miserable and there was no peace in our home.

I decided I didn't want our children in a home like that, so slowly with the Lord's help I began to change.

It is in my personality to get riled and ruffled easily, so it's something I've had to practice.

 But now if something comes up that bothers me or is important to me, I calmly bring it to Micah and we talk about it at night after the kids are in bed.

They never see us fight.

 I have learned to just hold my tongue, which our modern world would tell us is unhealthy. But by doing so I'm giving my children a peace-filled home with no sad memories of mom and dad fighting. 

So to me it is worth it!

A stable home for my children is more important to me than getting my way on a matter I will most likely forget about in a year or so anyhow!

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

- Philippians 2:3

~ view from the front door ~

I wrote at the start of the post that we can make our home life however we want it.

Why not make it filled with peace?

We cannot control what we will encounter out in the world, but we can do a lot to make our homes a place of happiness and rest.

Friends, what do you do to cultivate peace at home?

We can learn from each other!

Tell me in the comments!

xo,

~ Courtney ~

A Give-Away

I found myself in a gift shop recently, and happened upon this beautiful copy of Anne of Green Gables...

I was struck by the loveliness of the cover, and also by the realization that I've somehow lived thirty-five years and have never read this classic!

How can that be?!

So I purchased it,

and when I brought it home I dove into reading it right away!

Actually, I didn't read Anne of Green Gables, I devoured it.

 In only four days I had it completely finished.

What a wonderful, uplifting book!

 I felt a bit of loneliness for a few days after I finished it.

Anne was such a huge part of my life for four days, and then suddenly she was gone!

But her delightful spirit has stayed with me.

"It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will." ~ Anne 

I learned a lot from Anne...

She knew how to enjoy nature and find joy in any circumstance...

"'Dear old world', she murmured, 'you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.'"

~ Anne of Green Gables

"Listen to the trees talking in their sleep... What nice dreams they must have!" ~ Anne

"Oh, look! A bee just tumbled out of an apple blossom. Just think what a lovely place to live- in an apple blossom! Fancy going to sleep in it when the wind was rocking it. If I wasn't a human girl I think I'd like to be a bee and live among the flowers." ~ Anne

For some reason I felt compelled to buy two copies while shopping that day.

I thought I'd keep one for myself and give the other one away.

I remembered you, my dear readers, who have been such an encouragement to me throughout my blogging journey.

So I wonder if you'd like this second Anne of Green Gables as a gift from me?

I like a life that's simple and beautiful, and I think that's why this book was so enjoyable to me.

And I'd like to think that if you've been a follower of this blog, that you enjoy those things, too!

Even if you don't read the book, it would look lovely on your bookshelf or coffee table. 

I also think it'd be perfect on display in a little girls' room!

I would be happy to ship it to you! 

Just be the first commenter on this post.

(As long as it's within the U.S. I will ship it. You can email me your address so it's private. But of course if I know you in person, I will just hand deliver it to you the next time I see you.)

*smile

I guess it's a small way for me to say, "THANK YOU" for reading my blog!

I appreciate you all...

xo,

~ Courtney ~