Horse Art

It's the Kentucky Derby this weekend! Let's celebrate with some horsey art. I saw this huge, amazing horse painting in the lobby of Hotel 1000, where my hubby and I stayed last weekend for our 5th anniversary.  I really love it. I stared at it for awhile. It's so big, it really consumes you.

White stallion anyone? I think "white" and "wild" when I see this portrait. So rad.

A little more abstract here.

And an amazing blown up print; love that brilliant sky, too!

If you didn't get a chance to don a large hat for the Royal Wedding, go ahead and do it while watching the races! You have my permission. Have a good one.


*Martha

Bathroom Decor

My current bathroom decor is sad ... it's definitely the room I've most neglected. While looking for inspiration, I came across several photos from Lonny that have a theme: picture groupings, many of them black and white. It hadn't occurred to me to do a picture grouping in a bathroom, that's more of a thing in living rooms, right?

Nope! I think the bathroom is a great place to have fun with your decor, make it less serious than other rooms perhaps.

It can still feel posh, too.

And I always love a good striped bathroom. Just bookmarking this one for someday when I can paint!

*Martha

Modern Minimalism in Utah

Speaking of doing unexpected things in unexpected places (as I talked about in my Monday post), I have loved this other Utah house for quite some time. It speaks to my modern minimalist soul in every way. It's also super duper green. Read more about it here (it uses almost zero energy during the day!)

What do you think? Too bare bones for you? Does it the rectangle shape bring your soul discomfort? Too many windows without drapes?

*Martha

Hot Air Balloon Canvas

I'm almost finished with my boy/girl nursery, and this hot air balloon canvas is one of the final projects. It's been hanging over my head for a long time because I knew what I wanted but couldn't find a way to execute it. I have been searching for some old book with big pictures or drawings of hot air balloons to cut out, but that never panned out. Then I saw a post by Stephmodo; she had done a hot air balloon party for her daughter and used this wrapping paper from Clover, a kids' store near my house. Isn't it adorable? Vintage looking and everything. 

I thought it'd be perfect until I started cutting each balloon out and putting them all over my 24 x 30 inch canvas I had already spray painted blue. The scale wasn't working; the balloons were just too tiny. So, I started doing my own thing. 

I cut templates for three different sized balloons and baskets and used them to cut simple balloons out of my own paper.

I added some frills. Hopefully they are still boyish-enough frills. Are they? I kept having to remind myself that this is for a BOY and not a girl. I don't know - maybe when I meet him, I'll realize the error of my frills and tear it down and try again. But for now, I actually really like it. I incorporated the tiny, vintage balloons from the wrapping paper and the canvas looked like this:

I stared at it for days because something about it was BUGGING me. I tore off the tiny balloons because I feel like they were trying too hard to fit in, plus it felt a little too busy with them there. 

And now it looks like this:

I like it sooooo much better. I realize it's very kitschy, especially those hilarious clouds. But I like it; kitschy works for me, and it'll go better with the hot air balloon mobile, too.

What do you think? Were the tiny, vintage balloons working? Or was I right to rip them off? 

And what about you - have you attempted your own artwork for your children's rooms? Is it something you're proud of and love to see every time you hang out in the nursery? That is my one criteria for things in the nursery: do I love seeing it every time I go in? Or does it just BUG? I will hang this thing up and know soon enough if it bugs ... and if it does, I'll tear it down and start over on something else.

*Martha

Old Mercantile Turned House

The other day I was in Anthropologie and picked up Anthology magazine, which I had heard about but never seen. It's a cross between a book and magazine, very sturdy. It was full of loveliness. Most fascinating was an article about a couple who turned an old mercantile into a house. It's in a small town in Southern Utah (my home state). Here's what it looked like before:

And I couldn't get many pictures of after, but here are a couple from the magazine:

Ahhh, it's so cool. You should pick up Anthology just to see it. I love when people do unexpected things in unexpected places.


*Martha