Creating a Happy Place in Your Home

 

Disclosure: Artsy Couture sent me this metal print in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

With so many of the schools starting back up remotely this year, it is important for you to have your own happy place at home. Whether you are working from home or are a stay-at-home mom like me, you need a space that is yours for when you need some quiet time, alone time or just a place to bring you up a bit when you are down. I created one for myself over the summer. I have shared bits and pieces of it with you but want to share some of the things I find important in it. My space is a corner of our family room. Our family room is a room with lots of windows that looks out upon our backyard and thus my bird feeders. I find watching my outdoor critters so relaxing so this is why I chose this space. Steve helped me move the furniture around so I have two comfortable chairs facing the windows. We actually switched one of the chairs to the glider we had in Hazel's nursery. It is so comfortable and has become my chair now. One of the chairs has an ottoman so that is there. I also put a small folding tv tray table to put drinks and things on. Now it has our collection of gel pens in case I want to color. 

Besides the furniture I have decorated my happy place corner. I had a pillow made that literally says "This is My Happy Place." I have family photos as well as picture to remind me "Prayers & Love over worry & fear." I have sayings about love and life. My latest addition however is a beautiful metal print of my other happy place--my family vacation home on Cape Cod. This is the house my grandparents built and I spent most of my school vacations visiting when I was young. I took a photo of Hazel looking out over the marsh from the deck of the house. This is truly a happy place of mine. I love sitting on the deck and watching the animals and enjoying the breeze.

Since it is a metal print, it has a bit of glare and reflection issue when photographing it. However, I LOVE it!! The print is absolutely beautiful in person. I love sitting in my glider and looking at it. I can almost smell the marsh and feel the breeze. I definitely begin to breathe a bit slower and feel my body relax. It is a peaceful place and a wonderful reminder of it. Plus usually I am at it with my family: Steve and Hazel as well as my parents and my sisters and nephew. It is a place where there is love and where I know I am loved. This print has all of that in it as well as just being beautiful for others to see. 

I have had other metal prints made. I had a sunset print for my parents since they moved out of this house with the beautiful sunsets. I had scenic prints made to decorate the house we now rent out. I also have canvases and prints of family photos and memories from vacations. This is the first time I made one for me to remind me of a peaceful place that makes me relax and be calm. I love what it does for me. 

As we proceed through these strange times of social distance think about what makes you happy. Grab a photo of that place or memory and get a print made. Create your own happy space in your home. We all need one these days!

Savoring Memories with Photowall

Disclosure: I was sent this canvas for no charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

COVID-19 is scary. This week someone I knew died and his wife doesn't know because she is in the hospital fighting the disease as well. There is so much information and misinformation floating around and it can be hard to know what to believe and what not to. I keep turning to my faith to reassure me. But I also keep my family close. I also have been trying to focus on happier times. Hazel had a week off in February from school and the only thing she wanted for Christmas and her birthday was a family trip to Disney World. We went and had a wonderful family vacation. We spent two days going to the parks--Magic Kingdom and Epcot and two days by the pool and shopping. We stay at a wonderful time share down there that has a full kitchen and laundry facilities right in the unit. It is in Kissimmee so it is away from the park craze. Within a couple weeks of our return we were changing Hazel's school and going into social distancing. Plus I had to buy a new car in the mix. Talk about crazy!! Well now I want to hold on to our happy memories of our family trip and I was offered a product from Photowall.  After talking it over with Steve and Hazel we decided to let Hazel pick a photo to make into a canvas. I liked the idea of a wall mural but didn't think Steve would go for it and Hazel thought it would be too much. We decided to upload our own photo for a canvas. After going back and forth between photos she decided on this one of her with Aurora (Sleeping Beauty). We uploaded it and chose a Photowall Canvas. 

Keeping Memories from a Family Vacation Alive -- Canvas Print Review & Giveaway

Disclosure: Canvas Factory sent me this canvas in exchange for an honest review and are offering one customer their own print!

Where are you going this summer? Our family took a vacation to Cape Cod. Now we often go to Cape Cod because my parents live there. This year we got to stay at the house my grandparents built for a week by ourselves. We made the mistake of inviting one of Steve's friends with us, but that is another story. I still took lots of photos and wanted to get a good family shot since the last one we have (which I love) is from a few years ago and Hazel has grown and changed quite a bit in those years. I looked at all the different family pictures we got and found one we mostly liked. It was taken when we were at the National Seashore Visitor Center.

Photo Home Decor Review with Special Savings Code

Disclosure: Artsy Couture sent me these prints of my sister's photographs in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A couple of weeks ago I shared with you how my sisters and I are fixing up my parents (and grandparents) former house on Cape Cod to rent out. We want some home decor with Cape Cod/beach theme without being too personal. My sister who is an amazing photographer (she has an art degree and use to work professionally as a photographer), took some photos of places around the house and sent them to me. I asked Artsy Couture for help in making them into something we can use at the house (that is if I am willing to give them up--I haven't decided yet). The house sits on a saltwater marsh on the bay side so it has the most beautiful sunsets. She was able to capture one in these photographs. 

Canvas Factory Canvas Print Review & #Giveaway

Disclosure: Canvas Factory gave me a coupon code to receive this canvas for free and is offering one to a lucky reader!!

So last spring my parents surprised us with the news that they wanted to move out of the house my grandparents built on Cape Cod. The initial thought had been to sell the house, but once we all worked on getting them moved and the house somewhat emptied my father changed his mind. It was his parents that built the house. This is a house we spent most of our school vacations and at least a week or more of the summer at while growing up. It has always been a second home to us. My parents moved there when my grandmother was not doing well and couldn't take care of herself. After she died, they stayed there. They had already sold their home in Connecticut by that point. So this was a bit of a crazy time for all of us. In July we went from get the house on the market to fix up the house for renters. One of my sisters, bless her, has been doing the majority of the work. She was trained to paint houses and has a bit of an eye for design. She is also the pickiest out of the three of us. Well we decided to decorate the house with non-personal photos and pictures of beach life. My other sister (who use to work for a photographer) happened to take this amazing photograph on the beach that you can walk to from the house. I approached Canvas Factory for help with some of our decorating. 

Artsy Couture Metal Print

Disclosure: Artsy Couture made this metal print for me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

I have hinted for a few weeks that life here has been a bit crazy. Two out of the past three weeks I have spent at Cape Cod with my parents. My parents have decided the time has come for them to move into a 62+ condo. This has meant helping them move and helping clean out the old house. The move itself is only 0.7 of a mile, but the smaller condo is very different than the house my grandparents built and the view is nowhere near as nice. They are going to miss the view of the marsh, bay and especially the beautiful sunsets (plus seeing the fireworks from their deck). We are all going to miss the house, but know it is time and for the best for my parents to sell it and move. So after two weeks of unpacking, packing and going through things plus moving lots of boxes and bags (mostly of fabric and books) up and down the stairs and more, I have been absolutely exhausted. I literally slept most of the first weekend home after the first week. I finally now am feeling like summer is just beginning. 

Mother's Day Crafts & Activities -- a Crafty Weekends Link Party

Today is Mother's Day here in the United States. We have had a bit crazy of a week, but it did involve some fun crafts that are great crafts for Mother's Day and can be adapted for other gifts like teacher gifts, Father's Day and birthday gifts! 

A Japanese Fairy Tale and James VanDerZee -- a Multicultural Children's Book Day Review

Disclosure: Lee and Low sent me these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Today I get to share my final two reviews for Multicultural Children's Book Day 2018. I am sharing two very different books with you from different cultures. The first book is a classic Japanese fairy tale. It is The Crane Girl by Curtis Manley and illustrated by Lin Wang. 

Photo Canvas from Canvas Factory Review & #Giveaway

Disclosure: Canvas Factory sent me this canvas of my photograph free of charge and is providing the giveaway prize in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Some links in this post are affiliate links where I will receive a small payment for your purchase at no cost to you. 

I know summer is over. Hazel is back to school, and she loves it. However I am still trying to capture the summer memories. We went on a family vacation in July to North Conway, New Hampshire. This year we went up to the summit of Mount Washington. It was our first time going. We took the guided van tour offered by the Mt. Washington Auto Road.  It had been suggested to us as the best way to get up by an employee at the Mount Washington Weather Discovery Center and Gift Shop. We loved it and would definitely recommend it. So I wanted to use one of our photos from our trip for our canvas print. My first idea was to use a family photograph from the summit. However we needed to crop it and the quality was not good enough. When it was cropped it was perfect for a portrait canvas. 

Light Box Arts Creations -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Light Box Arts sent me a voucher to create this light box on their site in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Confession time, I am not a very good drawer.  When I try to draw or paint I am never happy with my work. However I am excellent at using computers to create fun artwork. I am also a great cutter and paster. So when Light Box Arts asked if I would like to try out their new Design Yours feature on their site, I jumped at the opportunity. 

Light Box Arts offers pre-designed light boxes as well. There are many different categories like Attitude, Vacation, Inspirational, Kids, and more. These are fun and beautiful, but I was excited to make something personal. I thought a personal light box would be perfect to celebrate our 11 year anniversary this summer. I got to work. I Googled for some ideas for anniversary quotes and found "Once upon a time I became yours and you became mine and we will stay together through both the tears and the laughter because that is what they call happily ever after." I loved it and wanted to add it to our wedding picture. 

Photo Gifts with Tiny Prints

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Please consider making a purchase and supporting Crafty Moms Share. Since I do not accept advertising, this is my only income from this blog. Click pictures for links. I was compensated for this post.

Are you still trying to figure out the perfect gift for your kids to give your husband or perhaps a grandparent? This year Tiny Prints saved us with one of their Deal of the Day and we got this photo mug for free. We just had to pay for shipping and handling. Hazel helped me design it and is very excited to give it to Steve this Christmas. He is one of those impossible to buy for people. He usually only tells his mother what he wants from her because she will buy for him no matter what. He always tells me he doesn't want anything. Ugh!!  Photo gifts from Tiny Prints are the perfect gift for dads, moms, grandparents and more! Then I saw that the Deal of the Day was a free Tiny Prints Custom Photo Mugs that was white so I went for it.

Here's a Brilliant Idea and Picture Perfect Social Media -- Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent these products free of charge. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As always I am providing links to the book for your convenience.

This weekend I am sharing two books with you. They each are for parts of crafting and sharing crafts, but not craft books per say. The first is Here's a Brilliant Idea by The Brothers McLeod. This book is being released this week!!

Canvas Factory Review & Giveaway

Disclosure: Canvas Factory sent me a coupon to get this print free of charge for this review and are providing the winner of the giveaway with a coupon code. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As always I am providing links to the site for your convenience.

Do you have a favorite photograph that you have taken recently? Have you noticed the new thing is to have canvas prints done of your photographs? When I took Hazel and my nephew in to have their pictures taken I got one with our package. (Don't tell my parents since the pictures are their Christmas gift.) At many of the photo studios these canvases can cost over $100. Imagine my excitement to be offered a free 16 x 20" canvas to review and one to give away!! And right now they have a sale going on where it costs $38.70. You can even create canvas collages with various size prints and more!!

DIY Christmas Cards & Gift Tags

Disclosure: My Memories gave me a copy of this product free of charge. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.

Are you getting ready for Christmas? Have you mailed your cards yet? Wrapped the gifts? There always seems to be so much to do this time of year. I always look for ways to stop and enjoy the season. In our house this often includes some crafts. This year we made our own Christmas cards. We always do a photo card and we still did, but we added our own personal touch with a simple craft. I had bought the tree punch at work as well as a pack of spruce flat cards. We punched them and decorated them with gel pens, liquid pearls and washi tape and then glued them on to the cards and added a sticker star. Some we used plan cardstock and covered in the washi tape and then punched.

Linked Thru Leonard

This summer we have gone to visit my parents several times for various reasons. In June we met Jill of Just Jill Today there. She is a photographer and sells some of her amazing photographs in various products. She also has a campaign with Leonard the Lobster, one of her photographed models. 

Easily Updated Photo Display for Grandparents

Have you entered my current giveaway yet?

So I was thinking of getting my parents and mother-in-law one of those frames that opens in the front so you can easily change the photo or artwork. Then I saw a pin for using a ribbon, miniature clothespins and a child's painting. I wish I could find the pin to share the source with you, but after almost an hour of searching, I'm giving up. (If it was yours, please let me know so I can link to it.) I had Hazel paint to canvases that I had already bought. Then I stapled some ribbon to them on the back.

Once the ribbon was hung, I just hung a photo well actually two (both her school pictures this year) on each one.

I buy the canvases when they go on sale at the craft stores. I picked up a package of miniature clothespins for around $3, so this is a pretty inexpensive, but personal gift and it gives them a way to easily adapt to whatever size photograph you give them each year, or to display more than one depending on the canvas size you use. What do you think?

Summer, Beach & Mermaids

So my mother-in-law asked me to print her a copy of the picture above in as an 8" by 10". I did, but it got me thinking about beach frames. So while at Michaels the other day I picked up two inexpensive frames on clearance. I knew I would cover them with shells and such so I didn't worry about their colors. I also bought some more shells and sea glass. Then I saw the Mermaid Contest over at Taming the Goblin.

Over the weekend, we made the frames. We decided to start by covering the frames with sand. We had some from last year's fairy garden. So our first step is to spread some glue on the frames. Hazel loved doing this!

Then we did our best to cover them with sand.

At this point we should have let the glue dry, but I had an anxious three-year-old helping me so we went ahead. She could not wait to start gluing on the shells, rocks and sea glass. (Sorry the picture came out a bit blurry.)

Then we let the glue dry for a few days (and it still wasn't completely dry--guess I globbed it on a bit much). By the way we used craft glue. I called my mother who just made one of those shell wreaths to see what she used and she used a hot glue gun, but didn't recommend it with Hazel helping. She thought craft glue would work fine and it did.

Mermaid Taking a Nap Framed

While it was drying I looked for pictures of mermaids. I found several at Graphics Fairy, but they were more vintage and not as kind looking as I hoped for. I did a search and came across Deviant Art. My favorite there is Mermaid Taking a Nap. Of the four I showed to Hazel, her favorite is one I found on Graphics Hunt. There are so many out there and I tried to look for friendly and not too sexy ones.

Hazel's Favorite Framed

Then I hung them in the family room to get some pictures. After that I put Hazel's favorite in her room and I changed the picture in my favorite to the beach picture. After all this is what I bought the frames for.

I do think we are going to use some of the wooden frames I bought ages ago to make some more shell frames for our mermaid pictures and for her beach picture as gifts.

So how do you like our mermaid inspired craft? I'm off to enter it in Taming the Goblin's Contest.




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