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Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall

By Christy 2 Comments

Spruce up your living space with a Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We took our living room from ho-hum to hey-hon with some cheap canvas prints and budget plaques in no time at all. So can you! You should know, I did receive product from Canvas on the Cheap in exchange for this post, but all opinions are my own!

Spruce up your living space with a Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We took our living room from ho-hum to hey-hon with some cheap canvas prints and budget plaques in no time at all. So can you!

We bought our house 2.5 years ago. I haven’t decorated much. You see, since the minute we moved in, we’ve had different house guests “living” with us for different lengths of time. It seemed pointless to decorate. I mean, there was crap in every corner, always, and it was all I could do to stay up on the vacuuming, toilet scrubbing, cooking, kitchen cleaning, laundry, etc. But about a month ago, the last of our guests moved out and my house is mine again. I’ve (we’ve) resolved to not have any long-term house guests “visit” anymore, so it was time to make this place my own!

Spruce up your living space with a Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We took our living room from ho-hum to hey-hon with some cheap canvas prints and budget plaques in no time at all. So can you!

Are your walls in need of a makeover on the cheap?

Prior to now, my walls were PIT-I-FUL! Although I think my family is beautiful, I realize that a spattering of three family photos on a large wall (quite serious photos at that) didn’t do much to say who we are. This wall was boring, we looked staged (we were), and it just doesn’t show our fun side. This is the wall people see when I meet for work. This wall had to be reworked. Bah-bye, boring wall! I had so many (FUN!) family photos, I knew exactly what to do. I turned to Canvas on the Cheap for a budget-friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We needed to show our fun side, and show our fun side we did!

Spruce up your living space with a Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We took our living room from ho-hum to hey-hon with some cheap canvas prints and budget plaques in no time at all. So can you!

I placed my order and I was shocked at the prices! I just knew this was going to be crap when the package arrived. I chose two photos from a family shoot gone wrong (thank goodness it did) for my gallery wall. When the packages arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see the personalization involved. Thank you, Kaylee, for caring enough about my family memories to package these memories with care!

Spruce up your living space with a Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We took our living room from ho-hum to hey-hon with some cheap canvas prints and budget plaques in no time at all. So can you!

Packaged nice and tidy and clear as a bell, my canvases arrived in about a week and I was ready to make my wall magic happen!

Spruce up your living space with a Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We took our living room from ho-hum to hey-hon with some cheap canvas prints and budget plaques in no time at all. So can you!

The babies each chose their favorites and they were excited to see our gallery wall come to life as well!

Spruce up your living space with a Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We took our living room from ho-hum to hey-hon with some cheap canvas prints and budget plaques in no time at all. So can you!

I am very impressed with the quality of the prints. The edges look almost hand folded although I doubt they are – unless Kaylee did that too! They are very similar in quality to the smaller prints you see on my wall that I had purchased from a different online vendor a year or so ago.

The one true difference is affordability! The 8×8 prints I got from the other vendor cost about $22 each (tax and shipping included, so the order for four 8×8 prints was $85). The price of the 16×20 prints from Canvas on the Cheap is $17.60 right now with their summer special, so they were a total of $35 each (with tax and shipping for full disclosure for those of you on a budget). I did order the two 16×20 prints separately so the shipping cost is a little higher – be smarter than me and think ahead and place your entire order at once to keep shipping down.

Spruce up your living space with a Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We took our living room from ho-hum to hey-hon with some cheap canvas prints and budget plaques in no time at all. So can you!

Once you add in some totally cheap signs from Ross or Marshall’s, you’ve got yourself a gallery wall. Easy, peasy, cheap, and impressive on a budget.

Spruce up your living space with a Budget-Friendly DIY Gallery Wall. We took our living room from ho-hum to hey-hon with some cheap canvas prints and budget plaques in no time at all. So can you!

Need canvas prints of your family photos?

If you are in need of a budget-friendly wall makeover, turn to Canvas on the Cheap for help! They’re constantly running amazing sales and they offer a variety of sizes and different finishing options. I, for one, couldn’t be more thrilled with my gallery wall and I was so proud to show it off in a meeting yesterday. Finally, a little touch of my personality in my living room. Now to go look around the house to see what else I can spruce up!

Filed Under: DIY, Family, Galveston, Island Living, Things I Love Tagged With: affordable home decor, canvas, diy home decor, family, pictures

Mardi Gras Deco Mesh Ribbon Wreath Tutorial

By Christy Leave a Comment

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Deco Mesh Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons! Just so you know, I did receive fun decor from Oriental Trading® to facilitate this post, but all opinions are entirely my own.

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Deco Mesh Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps.

For once in my life, I’m not going to talk too much (I probably will). I’m going to let this bad a$$ Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath speak for itself and just tell you how to make it. It’s easy, it’s affordable, and it’s so much better than anything you can find at your local big box store. Plus, you can use this ribbon wreath tutorial to make wreaths for all of the special occasions you want to celebrate. Are y’all ready for this? Seriously, if I can make this, YOU can make this. I’m just not that crafty, so here goes.

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Deco Mesh Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps.

Supples to make a Mardi Gras Deco Mesh Wreath:

  • 18″ Wire Wreath Frame
  • Purple Mesh Tube Ribbon
  • Green Chenille Stems
  • Gold Mesh Deco Roll (I used 20″ by 10 yards, but have a lot of length left over for other projects)
  • Mask of Choice (I used smaller masquerade masks for one wreath and a large jester mask for the other – both shown here.)
  • Large string of Mardi Gras Beads
  • Various embellishments like peacock feathers or clip ons

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

Making your Mardi Gras Deco Mesh Wreath

Cut your mesh tubing to the size of your chenille stems and thread the stem through the tubing. I used eight on the inside ring and eight on the outside ring, but you can adjust that for the fluff factor you’d like.

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

Simply tie the ribbon-covered stems around the inside wire where you want them, then repeat for the outside wire. It’ll look something like this, but I did remove some of the outside stems before weaving in the deco mesh because I felt like there were too many. Use your creative judgement as you move along. You’ll see!

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

Once you’re satisfied with the number and placement of your stems, get ready to start adding your deco mesh. Start by gathering the end of the mesh in your hand as shown.

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

Using the attached stems, tie the end of the mesh to the first one, bunch the mesh as fluffy or flat as you’d like, and tie it down into the next stem. Continue that until the entire inner ring is covered, fluffing as you go.

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

Once you’re done with the inner ring, repeat those steps for the outer ring. When you’re done with both, your base deco mesh ribbon wreath is done. Time to decorate for the occasion…in this case, Mardi Gras!

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

Here’s where you gather your masks, beads, peacock feathers, whatever you’ve decided will make this wreath uniquely yours.

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

First, start with your string of beads (or tinsel if you prefer) and, using the same stems, tie them down in the pattern you prefer. If you’re using beads, make sure the heavy ones are on the bottom, of course!

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

Now, take the ends of the stems and twirl them around the end of a pencil, remove them from the pencil, and fan them how you’d like. Those stems are a super integral part of this wreath. Not only did they hold everything together, but they’re decorative items all on their own.

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

Last, but certainly not least, decide how you want your masks and other embellishments to fit into the pretty picture. For one, I chose smaller masks to give a simple and festive look. You can use a little hot glue to tack the masks on, or you can tie them down with the ribbons. Either way works great.

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

Since we live in Galveston, Mardi Gras decor is pretty much abundant and I found the coolest jester mask at a local drug store and eatery. I knew this had to be my centerpiece for my main wreath. It’s pretty bad a$$, dontchathink?

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps. Very forgiving, this DIY wreath tutorial is your new best friend for all of the seasons!

There’s a little piece of ribbon attached to the back of this mask so we simply attached it to the wire wreath frame with a small piece of wire. I clipped on a couple of sparkly peacock feathers…and done. I love the outcome and how shiny and festive the whole thing is!

Pin this Mardi Gras Deco Mesh Ribbon Wreath for later!

Make your door the envy of the neighborhood for Mardi Gras when you put this DIY Mardi Gras Deco Mesh Ribbon Wreath together in just 11 super-simple steps.

This whole project is really forgiving and simple to make. Once it’s all put together, all of those little imperfections mean nothing. NOT A THING…do you hear me? The outcome is nothing short of breathtaking and you can make this for a fraction of the price (literally, about $50 bucks as opposed to HUNDREDS at specialty stores, Etsy, or even the big box stores) and you have bragging rights this way, so there’s that.

For this Mardi Gras Deco Mesh Ribbon Wreath, I got 90% of my supplies through  Oriental Trading® like I always do and you can too! Think it’s too late for a Mardi Gras Wreath (not really, we still have a FULL WEEK)? That’s OK too because this same, simple tutorial can help you build your Easter wreath, welcome spring wreath (seriously, hurry up spring!), or whatever other wreath you can image! What are you waiting for? Let’s get to crafting! Happy Mardi Gras, Y’all!

Filed Under: Crafting, DIY, Family Traditions, Galveston, Holidays, Island Living, My Happy Life, Oriental Trading Tagged With: deco mesh ribbon wreath, diy deco mesh wreath, galveston mardi gras, Mardi Gras, mardi gras wreath, Oriental Trading, ribbon wreath

Mardi Gras Tree + Paper Lanterns…Oh My!

By Christy 1 Comment

Deck the halls for Mardi Gras with purple, green, and gold! It’s easy to get the celebration started early, even before the parades begin, with this Mardi Gras Tree tutorial. Festive, lighted paper lanterns add all of the extra ambiance you need! Just so you know, I did receive fun decor from Oriental Trading® to facilitate this post, but all opinions are entirely my own.

Deck the halls for Mardi Gras with purple, green, and gold! It's easy to get the celebration started early, even before the parades begin, with this Mardi Gras Tree tutorial. Festive, lighted paper lanterns add all of the extra ambiance you need!

There’s no need to take down the Christmas tree! The Christmas season (my FAVE) is over at the end of December, right? You loved the lights and magic of the season, right? Yea, me too. Keep that magic going because Mardi Gras is right around the corner and you can leave your (fake) tree up (sans the Christmas decorations, of course) and repurpose it into a Mardi Gras Tree! I’m about to tell you how to do that beautifully, affordably, and how to add some extra ambiance to the PAR-TAY. Y’all ready for this?

Deck the halls for Mardi Gras with purple, green, and gold! It's easy to get the celebration started early, even before the parades begin, with this Mardi Gras Tree tutorial. Festive, lighted paper lanterns add all of the extra ambiance you need!

First, let’s set the mood! There’s no better way to set the mood for any party or celebration than festive colors and lighting. For Mardi Gras, as I’ve done with many other holidays, I chose to adorn my living spaces with paper lanterns! But for Mardi Gras, I stepped it up a notch and my paper lanterns are lit up like Mardi Gras Trees (see what I did right there?).

Deck the halls for Mardi Gras with purple, green, and gold! It's easy to get the celebration started early, even before the parades begin, with this Mardi Gras Tree tutorial. Festive, lighted paper lanterns add all of the extra ambiance you need!

How to decorate a Mardi Gras Tree

Let’s get back to the star of the show…the Mardi Gras Tree, shall we? It’s fun, it’s festive, and it’s so easy to create with affordable Mardi Gras decor! All you need are a few simple things and you can set it up however you’d like!

  • The tree, of course, which you still have left up from Christmas…score!
  • Mardi Gras Feather Masks
  • Purple Glitter Tulle
  • Random Party Favors and Peacock Feathers (to poke out from the tree for added flair and dimension)
  • Christmas Tree Ornaments in Purple, Green, and Gold
  • Tree Topper (Since I live in Galveston, I was able to find this crown table topper at my local big box store, but you can get creative here with whatever you can find or make!)

Deck the halls for Mardi Gras with purple, green, and gold! It's easy to get the celebration started early, even before the parades begin, with this Mardi Gras Tree tutorial. Festive, lighted paper lanterns add all of the extra ambiance you need!

Simply drape the tulle around the tree – or down it as I did in this case – then add your ornaments, masks, feathers, and random party favors, then top it off with your star, crown, or whatever else you can imagine. The result is fun, festive, and a party atmosphere that everyone will love!

Deck the halls for Mardi Gras with purple, green, and gold! It's easy to get the celebration started early, even before the parades begin, with this Mardi Gras Tree tutorial. Festive, lighted paper lanterns add all of the extra ambiance you need!

Mardi Gras Paper Lanterns for Ambiance

Now, let’s talk about those paper lanterns again, shall we? You can get these in a variety of sizes, textures, patterns, and colors from Oriental Trading®. For Mardi Gras, I obviously went with purple, green, and gold. I chose the 12″ lanterns, got a set of six each, and hung them all around the house for a night time parade experience. These would look fantastic outside on a deck for a party, but it’s so windy in Galveston ALL. THE. TIME that I just can’t take that route!

Deck the halls for Mardi Gras with purple, green, and gold! It's easy to get the celebration started early, even before the parades begin, with this Mardi Gras Tree tutorial. Festive, lighted paper lanterns add all of the extra ambiance you need!

To get the lighted lantern effect, I got some submersible (yup, they work under water too!) white LED lights and just tucked them into each lantern for that night time glow and ambiance I was going for. It worked out beautifully, dontchathink?

Deck the halls for Mardi Gras with purple, green, and gold! It's easy to get the celebration started early, even before the parades begin, with this Mardi Gras Tree tutorial. Festive, lighted paper lanterns add all of the extra ambiance you need!

After that, just toss a few beads around, put up some themed tinsel and boas, and you’ve got yourself a full-blown parade right in your own home…just like that!

It’s your turn! Mardi Gras festivities are starting soon – February 2 through 13th, 2018 in fact – and you need to get ready for the party. Here at my house, every day’s a parade thanks to a little imagination, a lot of fun, and affordable decor from Oriental Trading®. I still have a Mardi Gras door wreath to make, so wish me luck (my first ribbon wreath ever) and stay tuned for that post in the very near future! Happy Mardi Gras, y’all! If you’re in the area, I sure hope to see you at all of the parades!

Filed Under: Family Traditions, Galveston, Holidays, Island Living, My Happy Life, Oriental Trading, Texas Tagged With: affordable home decor, diy home decor, galveston mardi gras, Mardi Gras, mardi gras tree, paper lanterns

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Welcome to the asylum!

Hey y'all! I'm Christy and I'm glad you could stop by. Have a seat, grab a drink or a straight jacket, and join me as I share heart-healthy recipes, stories and life lessons about my insanely large family, and whatever else pops into my hot mess of a mind! Read More…

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