Displays of Affection

Custom Photos Display and Wall Art

Want something different hanging on your wall? Want something everyone is going to talk about and ask you where did you get that from? Need something unique, different and exciting? I’ve got just the thing. Spring is here so why not spruce up your decorating with a personalized, totally customizable display of art work in your home or office now. Easy to do and the photo will easily become the focal point of any space.

While surfing the web, I can across a really cool website that allowed you to take your personal photos and customize them in all kinds of really cool ways and it was free. Not only free, but you could save the pics for your own personal use or print them using their sister service www.zazzle.com (at quite reasonable prices in a variety of products). It couldn’t get any easier!

So, what is this magic site, you ask… it is www.Befunky.com and funky it is (but in a good way). The site is easy to use and navigate. You could have a new photo in a matter of mere minutes, seconds if you’re a quick decision maker. Trust me, once you start using this site, you will be a pro and totally addicted.

Here are a few examples!

Make your lil terror into a work of art!

Fav pooch can be an Andy Warhol tribute!

Romantice any photo, expecially scrapbookers!

The photos can them be converted into products for yourself or as gifts for others. They have a great selection like posters, t-shirts, cups, magnets, etc...

So if you are looking for a new cool way to display your favorite photos, blow them up and use one of the many stylized editing features available at http://www.befunky.com/. Once you try it out, check back here and share your experience with us, I’d love to hear from you and see some of your creations.

If you're not that creative, get great wall art and posters at All Posters. They have a great selection and something for everybody from modern art to movie posters for those into pop culture, romance and even inspirational. Check them out here!

How To Have Color Confidence!

Picking a paint color can be an anxiety inducing event for many people. White, off-white, eggshell, beige is even a difficult choice but what if you want something more daring or interesting, so how do you pick the right color or palette? I’ve come up with a few ways to make this decision a little bit easier for you. These ideas should be able to calm your color choosing woes and help even the pickiest of colorist embrace change.



No such thing as cheating!



1. There is no such thing as cheating!

Check out magazines and photographs and websites and once you find something you like… use it. Trust me, those experts, writers and bloggers didn’t put that stuff out there for their health. They don’t care if you pick their palette or steal their color combos- it’s the exact opposite. They want you to and hopefully share with them and their readers how you choose their look, why you choose their look and how much you loved their ideas!



Add color with accessories!



2. It’s okay to keep your walls white, insert color via accessories and furnishings



Now, I know you are wondering how this can be an article on color confidence and I’m saying it’s perfectly okay to stay white. Because it is. Everyone is not the same and you may not be ready to embrace wall color change (for whatever reason), it’s okay- take baby steps and use color in other creative ways.

3. Look to nature and natural color combos

Nature should be our muse. Let your favorite season guide your color choice. If it matches and looks good in nature, then it should look good in your living room. Just try not to be so literal and that nature palette should work. Remember: nature does not automatically mean brown (tree bark) or green (like grass), think big. Citrus fruits, gardens, landscapes….

Daring color combos can be found in nature!

4. Pick a signature multi-colored show piece (like upholstery, a painting or vases) and let that be your jump off point.

You can pick color combos from that muse item and you choose a wall color to accent that signature piece. It doesn’t get much easier than that and because the color accents your beloved signature piece, you are more bound to love it that much more.



Pick a signature piece to decorate around!



5. Lastly, if you choose a color, painted your walls and you just don’t like it… don’t fret, it’s just paint.

Paint can be re-painted! It takes time and a little bit of cash and maybe some sweat equity- but low and behold, it is not a disaster or unable to be undone- use this time to look at the color you chose, decide why you don’t like it and that may direct you to the color you will love (on the 2^nd go round).

Re-painting ins't too bad...

All-in-all, my advice for color confidence is to have fun, choose surroundings you love and remember, its only walls. Not permanent so get out there and be bold!

Have a collection? Show if off right!

Lots of time, people that have collections either hide them behind a glass armoire- so out of sight that it becomes a missed decorating opportunity!  They usually hide them out of protection from accidental breakage and loss but I believe these items should be the focal point and beautiful addition to your home décor. You obviously love these things, so why take the time and money to collect them and not make them the standout show piece that they are in your heart. They represent your personal style, so make a statement by displaying them with power and finesse. Some tips on how to get more bang for your buck:

1. Get them out of that dusty closed armoire and bring them out into your living space.

2. Group them together. They make more of an impact that spreading them all around the entire home.

3. Odd numbers are usually more interesting than even numbers.

4. Incorporate them into your décor in an interesting way and play up the differences is shape, color, height, and material.

Below is a sample of how collections could and should be displayed if you want to make a statement.

For information on great how collections make great keepsakes, check it out here!

Make Floors Beautiful and Give Back! pt1

What is the most overlooked and under-decorated space in a room? I would argue the floors. Once you pick the carpet or tile- that’s it. All you do it keep it clean- but there is so much more that can be done with your floors.

Rugs can be a great accent piece. It can tile a room together, add color, texture and even keep your expensive floors from damage. It’s so versatile and relatively inexpensive to do. I came across a great article that had great rug choices with a twist. Each rug came with double-duty. It beautified your space and you gave back in the process. Wow- 2 birds with one stone. How fabulous is that! I will highlight one great company at a time so you can read all about their good works and where to purchase these beautiful accent rugs!

1. ARZU STUDIO HOPE believes in a holistic approach to sustainable poverty alleviation achieved through artisan-based employment that empowers women.  Women, earning fair labor wages, weave exquisite hand-knotted rugs at home. ARZU, Inc. is a social business enterprise (“SBE”) — a true public/private sector partnership sustained by revenues from the sales of high-end rugs and supplemented by generous donor support. Money alone will not change people’s lives -- they must also have access to the essential skills and education necessary to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Central to ARZU’s approach is our Social Contract with weaver families. ARZU agrees to pay women the market-weaving rate, plus up to a 50% incentive bonus for the highest quality workmanship. In exchange for this extra income, families must agree: to send all children, both girls and boys, under age 15 to school full-time; to allow all women in the household to attend ARZU literacy classes; and to permit ARZU to transport pregnant women and newborns to clinics for pre- and post-natal care.

For more information, check them out at the links below. Let's all be good global citizens and help those less fortunate and give back when possible!

http://www.arzustudiohope.org/home/story/mission

http://www.arzustudiohope.org/home/story/team

http://www.arzustudiohope.org/home

COLOR Me Crazy?

So, you want a change? I think that is a great idea! Painting can be just the thing to lighten up your mood and freshen up your décor. Many people think painting is difficult and time consuming but if you prep and plan well, it was be smooth and easy. This post isn’t about the “job” of painting but the choice in color and I have attached below a chart covering the color and the emotions it conjures. I am hoping this chart can help you choose your next perfect color.

Symbolism Color Chart Below
	Excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, all things intense and passionate.
	Pink symbolizes love and romance, caring, tenderness, acceptance and calm.
	Beige and ivory symbolize unification. Ivory symbolizes quiet and pleasantness. Beige symbolizes calm and simplicity.
	Joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship.
	Peace, tranquility, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant.
	Turquoise symbolizes calm. Teal symbolizes sophistication. Aquamarine symbolizes water. Lighter turquoise has a feminine appeal.
	Royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning.
	Lavender symbolizes femininity, grace and elegance.
	Energy, balance, enthusiasm, warmth, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention.
	Nature, environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, vigor.
	Earth, stability, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, simplicity, and comfort.
	Security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, dignity, maturity, solid, conservative, practical, old age, sadness, boring. Silver symbolizes calm.
	White represents reverence, purity, birth, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, winter, snow, good, sterility, marriage (Western cultures), death (Eastern cultures), cold, clinical.
	Power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, anonymity, underground, good technical color, mourning, death (Western cultures).

Remember, with nay of these colors, picking the right shade is equally as important. It can help pump up the energy and tone down the boldness of an already bold color. Use color as accents too. You don’t have to color an entire room or even an entire wall. Play with color and variations of color. The best thing about it- it’s not permanent. This is your living space, have fun with it!

For my adventurous readers… if you have a painting story to share and a pic to show us your great job, put them here. We’d all love to see your inspired design and know why you choice a particular color for your living space.

Prostate Cancer Kills

A bit off topic and an alarming title, I know but as I was driving into work today and I heard a very interesting interview on the local talk radio show. The guests from the local hospital were on because September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

They answered questions from callers and gave out valuable information. I learned some things I did not know about Prostate Cancer. Although, I am not at risk for Prostate Cancer (being a woman and all)- I would like to share just a few things in hopes that someone will read this and do what they need to do to save a life!

1. Prostate Cancer exhibits NO early warning signs or symptoms
2. By the time a man exhibits symptoms, it's usually too late for non-evasive treatment options to either save his life or his "natural sexual function"

3. Screening is the only tool for early detection
4. Men should be screen starting at age 50, African Americans at age 45.
5. Screening is usually a blood test and/or rectal exam

Don't let something as silly as avoiding the rectal exam be the reason you die before you had to. Get screened today!

For more information, check out the Prostate Cancer Foundations website at http://www.pcf.org/site/c.leJRIROrEpH/b.5699537/k.BEF4/Home.htm

Thanks you for allowing this brief departure!

Mosaics done MODERN!

Mosaics are an art form that has lasted the test of time. From ancient Greeks and Romans to the highlights of modern and now digital flair. It will create an instant eye-catching, one-of-a kind, conversation piece for your home or office. This is also an easy DIY project that the whole family can participate in.

Step 1. Pick out an image you would like to create. If you are not very artsy, pick something easy (not too many moving parts) with a simple silhouette. This image can be anything. If it’s for an office, how about a computer icon or if it’s for a kitchen, how about fruit and if it’s for a child’s bedroom, how about a simple heart, baseball and bat or a favorite animal? Your design can be anything. Just let the first project match your level of expertise. Once you get the hang of it, you can pick something more advanced on the next one.

Step 2. For an easy start-up, search the web for a graphic that represents the image you want to use and blow it up to the size you want the actually mosaic to be. Plot the basic picture on pixeled, graph paper the size of the tiles you want to use. Choose your colors and go to the home improvement store to buy your supplies, canvas, tile adhesive and a great glass frame (if you don’t want to grout).

Step 3. Go home and glue, glue, glue. You may want to place the adhesives like a puzzle first, just to make sure it looks the way you like. If you like it- glue baby glue! Let it dry before framing.

Step 4. You’re done! Admire your work. It is one of a kind!

If you have done this project and would like to share your story of a pic of your art work. Please do! Either here as a comment or on facebook (wow home accents) and twitter (@wowdecor). We would love to see your work!

I love this project so much, I am actually thinking of doing one myself and putting my DIY project on video and posting it. What do you think? Would you like to see me try this project? Leave your vote here!