5 Attainable Pieces of Original Artwork to Hang on Your Wall

If there was an ever a time to support small artists and creators, this is it.  I know so many of us are spending more time at home than ever so what better time to find some beautiful pieces to look at while we are spending so much time at home.  

Selecting art can be such a hard decision but I encourage you not to take it too seriously. Just find something you connect with and it will bring you joy.

Here are 5 (reasonably affordable) pieces of from artists I've been crushing on...

This dramatic skyscape by KatyLeigh is memorizing whether you see the clouds or not.

You know I'm a sucker for creepy portraits and this girl with bird by Nursel Fine Art checks all the boxes. 

This little crushed toothpaste painting by Kristine Kainer would be perfection in a bathroom.

If you need a piece for your kitchen, I'm loving the fried egg paintings Anna Shevel has done.  Pop art for those who like to cook!

And finally this pastoral painting by Sara Tubens is both calming but hard to look away from.

Any of these strike your fancy? Or do you have other artists you ar crusing on? Please share their work in the comments!

What should I put on my walls? | 5 Paintings You Can Buy Right Now

I often get asked for suggestions about what artwork a homeowner should buy. It's such a personal decision and I believe you should really love the artwork hanging in your home so it's hard to make recommendations without knowing a person's style. But I can suggest some great pieces of art by artists I admire and that's what this post is all about.  Each one of these is original and affordable so they are the perfect way to start dressing those endless empty walls.


Bliss by Jan Burnett is summer on canvas and would look great in so many little nooks.


City Abstract by Robert Frank reminds me of growing up in 1980s NYC (although I have no idea which city or timeframe he was painting)



 Jenny Doh's 654 Sights to See is just a little bit disturbing but also hard to look away. 


Old Fashioned by Lucas Simmons is a stunner in blue and green.



On the Way to School by Tali falls into the little bit odd category but there is something about the shadows and the expressionless faces that capture the eye.  You know I can't resist a good creepy painting.


Anything catch your eye?  Each one of these is an original one of a kind so if you love it, grab it. I'd love to see these beauties hanging in your home so please share!


If you like peeping artists like I do, check out an earlier post about 5 more wonderful artists to watch.

Note: This is not a sponsored post nor do I receive any benefit if you make a purchase.  I just want to support these artists in whatever (albeit small) way I can .

5 Artists to Watch + Paintings to Admire

I have commitment issues when it comes to art.  I love to shop and buy it but I tend not to be able to commit so I have lots of little finds hidden in closets and sitting on shelves.  It's a sickness.

Art can be such a hard decision for decorators but I want to encourage everyone not to take themselves too seriously.  Especially with some of the great work you can now find easily online.  Find something you love and hang it where you can see it.

With that in mind, here are 5 reasonable attainable pieces of art from artists I've been loving. If you have some artists to recommend (or if you are an artist yourself!), please share in the comments.


Salma Nasreldin creates such fun and eye catching work, it's hard not to be enchanted. This one is called 'Sunshine and Hurricane' and it's a particular favorite.







The gorgeous abstracts by Omar Obaid are mesmerizing.  And he makes them in huge scale which is oh so helpful in pulling a room together without having to find 25 different smaller pieces of art.  One of these is enough to carry a space.



Marleen Kleiberg creates characters I want to know more about. This melancholy (or is she just napping?) piece painted on a wood panel is my personal favorite.




Wouldn't this make a great conversation starter at  your next cocktail party?  Lisa Finch of French Canvas painted this little story on canvas and I can't look away.




Last but not least Camilo Matiz out of Luxembourg is painting dream abstracts in beautiful bright colors that are easy to fall in love with.







Any great artists caught your eye?  I'd love to hear and see more about them.


Non disclosure: This post is NOT sponsored. I just really admire the work and want to support them in any way (albeit small) I can.

DIY Coffee Hand Painted Sign | With Enough Coffee Everything is Possible

I will admit that I sometimes need a little more caffeine than is probably recommended to get me through the day.  So okay, perhaps EVERYTHING isn't possible but starting my day with a little pep talk over a cup of joe seemed like a good idea.  Bonus: it hides the ugly outlet in my backsplash.

This was a super easy, fun project that I knocked out in a couple of hours with materials I had in the house. I started with a scrap piece of 1/4 inch plywood but you could certainly use something thicker.  I drew out my design with a pencil (and did a lot of erasing) until it looked suitably like a cup.  I wanted something that looked like it might have been found in a thrift shop so perfection was not the goal.  

Using jigsaw, I cut out the cup shape and lightly sanded the edges.  I drew over the pencil marks with a marker knowing it would show through a light coat of the white paint.  After a quick white wash, I added some "coffee" and shading using a beige paint. Finally, I used a gold sharpie to retrace the faint marks to make the final markings on the cup.  Done!

Refill please!

Toys as Art | Die Ugly Toys Die

Today's Die Ugly Toys, Die is a great solution for those of us who have, ahem, trouble letting go of sentimental items  You know like a special lovie or collection that needs to get out of the toy bin but you can't bear to part with it?  Instead of the trash, 4 men 1 lady shows us how to compose it beautifully in a frame as artwork!




So smart!  I especially love how you could use this idea to decorate a themed room without buying lots of extra decorative items.  Stop by 4 men 1 lady for more.


Want more inspiration?  Check back every Thursday for a new installment or check out the past weeks' features below.






I have lots of other great #dieuglytoysdie projects to share with you for this summer series - I hope you love them as much as I do.  Want your project to be featured?  Drop me a line.

Say Cheese: Vintage Camera Photos Hung

Yea for artwork. I finally got around to hanging the vintage camera series prints at the shore. I think they work pretty well here - not overtly beachy but still light and bright.

You might also spot the stars I hung behind the tv. While I don't hate them, I don't love them either. I don't want to cover the entire wall with stars so I think they will probably go. Maybe I'll just hang some more photos?


A few window treatments, some storage baskets (thanks for the suggestion!), a few more pillows and a spruce up of the sideboard/entertainment center will complete this room.

The irony is that we are serious considering adding a wall in here to cordon off another bedroom.That would make this rather large living room into a tiny one but having another bedroom would be kinda awesome (hello sleepovers!). At the same time, I really love having so much space to lounge and play.  Decisions, decisions.

Photos for Sale. Get your Photos here.

You already know I have a love affair with a beautiful image but I've mostly keep that to myself.  A few years back, I sold some of my prints (the notion that an image I captured would grace a anyone's wall still thrills and honors me) but the admin was a bit of a bear.  So I've jumped on the bandwagon and switched over to Society6.

I've only added my very favorite images right now as a test.  I plan on adding more as time goes on but I wanted to let you know it was out there. You know, the whole bit about letting the universe in on your happiness..well here you go, universe.

I hope you'll take a peek around the shop. If you are in the shopping mood, you'll even get FREE SHIPPING when you click that link.

What do you think of the photos I've selected? Anything else I should add?

Vintage Camera Photo Series

I had this idea that I should photograph some of the old cameras I've collected over the years and blow them up as artwork. I do think they are beautiful and it gives me the ultimate reason to keep collecting but I'm not sure where to hang them.  [sidebar: prints are available in the gift shop]







I think these might be fun to put in our shore living room but obviously it's not very "beachy".  Not that everything has to be so literal but not sure if its the right spot.  What do you think?

DIY Vintage Sign Inspired Trunk Makeover

Remember that trunk I found on the sidewalk a few weeks back? Tada! It got it's makeover.



My first thought was really going crazy with it by cutting it up and outfitting for a cooler etc. But as I took a closer look, I thought it would be functional just as it was - as a storage chest. The top was pretty badly damaged so it needed some repairing including glueing down the loose board and adding lots of wood putty where there were holes. I painted the whole thing with an exterior oil paint to give it the best protection from the elements as possible.



After painting, I was pretty happy with how it was looking but I wanted to add some personality. So I whipped up something reminiscent to a vintage sign, printed it out on letter paper and taped it all together. Then I used painters tape to adhere it to the top of the chest and traced the whole design by pressing as hard as I could onto the wood top. This tracing left a slight indentation on the top of the chest making it very easy to paint over. But since I didn't want to bother hand painting - I used a couple of permanent markers to first mark the outline and then fill in all of the lettering.  Notice - this technique requires no artistic talent whatsoever!  My favorite kind.



A few mosquito bites and a sore hand later, the trunk was complete. This was such a fun piece to makeover - I'm so glad I made Mr. Limestone carry it home with me.

Stylish Soiree with Martha Stewart and Shutterfly

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have caught one of the most fun moments of my year - getting to meet THE MARTHA STEWART in person. Yes, I can die now! If you are wondering just how I got to be standing next to Martha with a frozen expression on my face, read on...

Shutterfly asked if I would like to attend their 2014 Shutterfly by Design event followed by a cocktail party at the home of Kevin Sharkey, SVP, Executive Editorial Director of Decorating, and Executive Creative Director of Merchandising at Martha Stewart Living.Um, let me think about that for a second. Yes of course!

This was my first year there and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I have to say I was floored! Of course I’m familiar with Shutterfly for prints but I had no idea how many other products they offered beyond just photo prints. Add that to the fact that the event was styled by some pretty amazing designers, I couldn’t take it all in fast enough. Lots of inspiration here. Check it out…



Great work by everyone involved including Brit Morin, Michelle Workman, Olivia Palermo, Jennifer Hadfield, Kim Stoegbauer

Just lovely and chock full of clever ideas to be inspired by. Here are a couple of mental notes I took to share with you.



How about a wall gallery of metal prints;(yes, Shutterfly makes metal prints, who knew?) artfully displayed with LED lights? The effect was just gorgeous. Really smart and so impactful! Or using a wood print in place of a stainless steel bath caddy by placing it across a claw foot tub? Why didn’t I think of this before?

Or what about recreating a favorite antique china plate onto melamine dishware for outdoor entertaining? Yes, they make dishes too! Especially genius for those of us who scour thrift stores and always seem to find a single gorgeous plate without the rest of the set. Or what about using a wall decal on the floor as a very clever party decoration? Ok, enough gushing.  I think you get the idea.



After seeing all that goodness, it was time to shake hands and make weird expressions next to Martha Stewart.  I was so excited about it all, my brain must have malfunctioned and put an immediate stop order on the brain synapse that tells my face to smile. Despite the lack of photo evidence, TRUST -  I was dancing on the inside.

Added bonus for meeting some other talented ladies as pictured above - Kelly of Eclectically Vintage, Alana Jones-Mann & Linda Facci.

{photos courtesy of Ron Palacio}

After that red-letter moment, we were off to a cocktail party at Kevin Sharkey’s gorgeous Tribeca apartment. For the event, he put his own spin on some of the Shutterfly products using a marble pattern. For example, he created a faux marble umbrella stand using an oversized floor vase and wall decal. Then using that same decal, created an inlaid marble look on his bathroom mirror. The same pattern was repeated on pillows, curved glass prints, used as serving dishes, tableware, and notepads for a classic, timeless look.

But the fun doesn’t end there. Shutterfly has asked me to try out a few products in my own home.  Once again, the answer was a definite yes! After all the eye candy I experienced at the event, my head is swimming with ideas.

Want to give it a try?  Shutterfly is running a great buy more, get more promotion starting July 10. 50% off $100+ / 40% off $50+ / 30% off orders less than $50.  Promo code is: GETMORE

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Shutterfly and Martha Stewart but all of the opinions expressed are my own.