12 Craft Kits By Independent Makers You Can Get Online

12 Craft Kits By Independent Makers You Can Get Online

I’m a sucker for a good DIY and have always been a fan of craft projects that keep me busy, teach me something new, and give me something to enjoy or gift when I’m done. During the kitchen renovation and the pandemic, when things feel out of control and I crave the satisfaction of a job well done, so crafting is something I’m itching to do. Perhaps you are, too?

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My Tree Mural is Now Available as an Art Print (and as Wallpaper, Cards, and More!)

My Tree Mural is Now Available as an Art Print (and as Wallpaper, Cards, and More!)

Big news!! You can now have my office tree mural for yourself! The design is now available as an art print, a poster, a pillow, a clock and even as your own wall mural!

I've received many kind requests for my hand-painted mural to be made available for all to enjoy in their homes, so now you can enjoy the design without the 100+ painstaking hours I spent painting it.

Even better news, the entire shop is 25% off through midnight on Saturday, 12/7! Now is a perfect time to buy it for yourself or as a gift for a loved one.

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My Favorite Online Art Resources + My Personal Art Collection

My Favorite Online Art Resources + My Personal Art Collection

I love having lots of artwork throughout our home. It’s probably because of my years of art school and working in art museums. Yeah, that’s probably why. I enjoy having pieces I find beautiful, ones that make me think, those that make me laugh, and the ones that are nostalgic. Bad art is my biggest deign pet peeve, simply because I hate when people fill their home with nothingness just for the sake of having decor. It makes me sad to see junk hung on the walls of people’s homes just to fill the space.

In this post I round up my favorite online art retailers, list framing options, and share each and every piece of artwork in my personal collection. Take a look!

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Article Holiday Decor Two Ways

Article Holiday Decor Two Ways

Sometimes I get really into holiday decor, and sometimes I shy away from it opting for more minimal seasonal touches. This year, we aren’t doing a tree so I’m decorating the house in new ways to bring some holiday vibes without feeling like I’m drowning in over-the top holiday decor. Today I’m sharing two looks I’m experimenting with for the holidays.

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My Favorite Kind of Souvenir: Local Art

I am the WORST at collecting souvenirs on vacation. I hate cheap touristy figurines, love vintage pieces that are too big for my suitcase, or spend too much time eating in restaurants to shop for reminders of the trip. I always come home empty handed. Well, I take that back, following a recent trip, I did come back with electrical tape that I bought at a gas station to tape up the hole in my shoe. Horrah!

But, I have a solution for bad travel shoppers: Artwork created by locals in the vacation destinations. The first thought may be to buy artwork OF the vacation destination like paintings of sweeping vistas or photographs of the city. However, by purchasing artwork made by people FROM the region, you can find pieces that speak to you more than the scenery of your locale - even though I'm a sucker for landscapes!

The Gold Hive art collection by New Zealand and Australian Artists.jpg

While not all artists exhibit in shops and since I may not even stumble into galleries, I like to look for artwork after-the-fact on the world wide web. I've rounded up pieces created by Australian and New Zealand artists following my recent vacation to these two fine lands.

Each of the below images is artwork by an individual artist. Click through to get the piece in your home, learn more about them, and see the rest of their collections.

We've already been to Phoenix and Boston since NZ and Aus, then we have Chicago, Pittsburg, Ojai, and several more trips coming up this year. So, should I make this a regular blog series by featuring artists from the locations I go to?

Get Your Own Tree Mural As A Print + Still We Rise Auction!

Big news!

The tree mural I painted on the wall of my home office is now a print!

I've received many kind requests for the painting to be made available as wallpaper and/or as an art print, so your wish is my command. I'm pleased to make my design available for folks to hang on their walls without the 100+ painstaking hours I spent painting it. 

The Gold Hive Tree Mural Print

The tree mural photographic print will be available in a variety of sizes and printing options. However, before I release it to the public, I'm making a single print available for a great cause.

Still We Rise

A community-supported auction is benefiting the non-profits EverytownMoms Demand Action, and Emily's List. Artists, brands, and makers have donated goods and services to raise money for these organizations that aim to end gun violence and elect women into government. I'm so proud to be participating in the auction by making the first ever tree print available to bidders with 100% of the sale benefiting these organizations.

The auction is running March 19-26 and bidding is as easy as leaving an Instagram comment - literally. Over 200 other items are all available to bid on over at the @_stillwerise Instagram feed. Auction rules and FAQs can be found here.

You can bid on the tree print and all of the other items through Monday! Then, come back next week to purchase a print in the size of your choosing.

Happy bidding!

P.S. How would you prefer to purchase the tree painting? a digital download? an art print? a custom framed print? or even on a pillow, mug, or notebook?

The Gold Hive Tree Mural Print Framed
The Gold Hive Home Office Murals

Valentine's Day Art That Isn't Cheesy

Ross and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day, but if we did, I'd probably use it as a reason to buy more artwork. The new piece would be a gift for him, but I'd get to enjoy admiring it on the walls. A win-win! I've rounded up my favorite artworks that aren't super mushy, overly romantic, nor too cutesy. Any would be great to gift or to decorate with during the love holiday - or even throughout the rest of the year.

valentines day art that isn't cheesy.jpg

Click the thumbnails below to shop 'em!

If you want to go for a customized sweet and sentimental gift, here are a few faves. There's Framebridges' Heartstagram which mattes a photo of a loved one in the shape of a heart (get $100 off four of them with code HEARTYOU). They will also frame notes, cards, shirts, buttons, photo strips - you name it! Minted has some custom gift options like maps of a meaningful city and graphic ways to display a special date. One of my favorites is a print of what the sky looked like on an important day.

Selecting Paired Art for the Bathroom

There's no doubt that the artwork you pick for your home can make a big difference in the feeling of your space. Choosing the right combination of pieces can be difficult, but luckily there's help!

This post is in partnership with Minted!

Minted sourcing artwork from designers

Even the design-blogger-and-art-school-graduate can have a hard time finding just the right pieces. I struggled for months with sourcing the art for the bathroom walls.

Here's what I was working with:

1. The all-white space with oodles of tile can come off as sterile and cold. The room yearned for artwork that would add some warmth but would maintain the dark moody vibe of the wall's paint color.

2. Since I had two adjacent walls to fill, the art needed to complement each other without being too matchy matchy.

3. We wanted pieces that felt special but not so in-your-face-dramatic that we'd grow tired of them.

I played with some dark landscapes, several abstract shapes, and a few portraits but wasn't in love with any combos. Luckily, my friends at Minted stepped in to help me out. And they can help you, too!

In addition to selling beautiful printed and custom art, Minted has a great team of designers that listen to all of your needs and wishes, and then translate the vision into proposed artwork and a mockup of your space. Their styling services were particularly helpful for me when I was looking for two pieces that would work well together on adjacent walls.

Here's what they proposed for our bathroom after I outlined my wishes:

Minted Gallery Art Option How to Choose Artwork

OPTION 1: Edgy

1. Embrace by R studio
standard format in rich black wood frame

2. Sitting Still by Jennifer Daily
standard format in matte brass frame

Minted Gallery Art Option How to Choose Artwork

OPTION 2: Moody

1. Melting Glacier by Caryn Owen
white border in rich black wood frame

2. Bath by Sue Prue
matted in matte copper frame

Minted Gallery Art Option How to Choose Artwork

OPTION 3: Classic

1. Tahitian Pearl No. 3 by Julia Contacessi
white border in matte brass frame

2. Arches by Ilze Lucero
float mounted in matte brass frame

Minted Gallery Art Option How to Choose Artwork

OPTION 4: Contemporary

1. Imbue by Lindsay Megahed
matted in matte brass frame

2. Black 03 by Catilustre
standard format in matte black frame

Minted Gallery Art Option How to Choose Artwork

OPTION 5: VINTAGE

1. Untitled 2 by Jaime Derringer
float mounted in matte copper frame

2. Human One: Anton by Colin Stuart
standard format in matte black frame

Aren't those combos great? I narrowed the options down to #1, #2, and #5 pretty quickly, but got hung up on the decision for a few days. Sitting Still, in #1 is just so perfectly dark and Human One: Anton in #5 is so striking! I think I need to find a spot for Anton somewhere else in my house.

Minted how to pick artwork

We ultimately went with option 3: moody. I am just so tickled with Bath by Sue Prue! I already love pretty lady artwork so this nude was the perfect addition to the collection. The background feels like it was made for my walls.

Minted art how to pick artwork frames

And that frame! I really don't think I would have ever selected the copper frame, but I'm so glad Minted did the decision making for me. I'm smitten with the warmth it adds to the room and how it brings out the skin tones in the painting.

Minted frames and artwork selection help

It also magically matches my copper tin that I previously planned to replace with a wooden one. Not anymore!

Minted how to pick artwork and work with a designer

Speaking of matching elements, both the warm tones in the frame and deep blues of Bath are seen in Melting Glacier by Caryn Owen. Again, aren't those blue-green-greys perfect for the walls? Minted really knows what they're doing.

Minted how to select paired artwork

The view from the shower is the best for admiring the two prints at the same time. They are different subject matters, by different artists, and in different frames, yet they feel like they are friends.

Minted artwork getting help from a designer

I scanned Minted's website for hours but never would have come up with this art print and frame combo. If you want help from a professional designer, I highly recommend you check out Minted's styling services that start at $75. It includes not only a design plan but also a discount on your art order!

Are you an indecisive design professional, stylist, or home renovation professional like me? The art trade program is a great resource for complimentary design help and discounts on art products for your professional projects.

Minted getting help picking artwork

Happy art hunting! And, don't forget this important art hanging PSA from Emily Henderson.

One Room Challenge Week 4 - Sourcing The Artwork

It's already week four of the One Room Challenge! We're over halfway there and the room has earned dark green paint and picture rail molding. This week, I got to hang the artwork!

This image of a man pulling a girl out of a hole is my favorite piece in the whole room. I'm obsessed with all of the collage pieces by this artist, Richard Vergez. I got this piece and (and all of the others in this post) from Society6, which is such a great resource for framed art by independent artists. The beauty of it is you can get your favorite design printed as a framed print, mug, duvet, tote, or pillow, like this one!

I can't have a room without florals! This print as a pillow does the job.

There's so much beautiful artwork (and bad artwork!) out there so deciding is such a feat. I've rounded up a few more of my favorite artworks from Society6. You can also find more of my curated pieces that I'm crushing on here.

Sources from top left: Rainier Eunice Lake The Dreamer / Colors / D24 Mountain Trees C16 / By the Hills, revisited Crown Into Abyss / El Matador Close Noir / Glacial

While I ultimately bought my prints from Society6, Minted is another great source for art. Here are some swoon-worthy pieces.

The Gold Hive Favorite Art from Minted

Sources from top left: Spiced Cider/ Blue HIlls / Road Trip 2 Torched / Dance Abstract Watercolor A Slight Chance / Conversation II / Broken Clouds Whispered Rain Reflections III / The Forest

I shared last week how much I love picture rail molding and how to install it. Well, here's how to use it! Simple dimple.

The Gold Hive Installing frames on picture rail molding

You can find picture rail hooks in a variety of finishes, shapes, and sizes, so pick whatever works for your home's style and your decor. I got these from House of Antique Hardware for their simplicity and the way the brass matches the aged brass of the switch plates.

Attaching the hook to the frame is as simple as twisting on a wire. The key is to select a wire that can withstand the weight of your frame. The Society6 prints are quite lightweight so I was able to go with a thinner gauge wire, but this same wire previously snapped when I tried using it to hang a mirror. Oops. If you don't want to use wire, rope or chain are great alternatives. I prefer how subtle the thin wire is because it doesn't take attention away from the main attraction, yet you still see a glimmer of it when the light hits just right.

The Gold Hive Installing frames on picture rail molding

I like to start by twisting the wire on to the hook so I can focus on making the twist as clean as possible, since you'll see it. After measuring how high the image will hang, cut the wire to length, leaving several inches to twist into the back of the frame. For a strong hold I like to twist the wire on, then double twist over it again.

The Gold Hive Installing frames on picture rail molding

After a bit of finessing, you have a photo hung on the wall without any holes! While I adore these new prints, and plan on enjoying them in this room for the long haul, I love having the flexibility to move them around the house without having to patch nail holes. 

The Gold Hive Installing frames on picture rail molding

The two large prints over the couch are by Lucie Birant. Deciding on a diptych is tricky because you want them to go together, but not too much. The key is for them to be sisters, not twins. Rather than picking two pieces that are nearly them same, but slightly different, I opted for two very different images, but by the same artist. They aren't matchy matchy, but they go together because they still have the same pencil work and overall style. Emily Henderson has a great PSA on avoiding generic art and how to make diptychs look grand.

The Gold Hive Sourcing Artwork

While all of the new artwork for the room was sourced from Society6, I searched high and low on lots of other websites such as Minted, Artfully Walls, and 20x200. Society6 had the best prices and the quickest turnaround for a room makeover on a tight timeline, but I really had to sort through the artwork, because I didn't love it all (remember, bad art good walls). I like Artfully Walls for the easy search features that help you curate based on themes and colors. 20x200 sells limited edition art prints that are really unique (I'm still waiting for this one and this one to arrive in the mail). Minted has a lot of great pieces that are easy to love. They aren't generic, nor too quirky like the painting of the Denny's Parking Lot I ordered from 20x200. Check 'em all out! Or, if you have your own artwork or an existing piece you want to frame, take a look at Framebridge for custom framing options at great prices.

To recap, the prints I chose for the room are Minimal and Palm by Lucie Birant, Let Me Go Or Squeeze Me Tighter by Richard Vergez, The Path by Carlos ARL, and Mount Cook Lily (Night) by Andrea Stark.

If you're here because of the One Room Challenge, I hope you'll subscribe to the blog to get future blog posts in your email! Be sure to follow along on Instagram, too!

One Room Challenge progress:One Room Challenge progress:
Week 1 - the before, the inspiration, and the plan
Week 2 - paint, paint, paint
Week 3 - how to install picture rail molding
Week 4 - sourcing the artwork
Week 5 - refreshing a chair
Week 6 - the reveal!

Be sure to admire the other rooms that are four weeks into being completely transformed! So many featured and guest bloggers are doing big things!