Today I’m sharing how to mix chalk paint so you can create the perfect color for your next project.

I am teaming up with my friend Angela from Unexpected Elegance, and we have created several video tutorials on chalk paint.  (Want to see our intro video?  Click HERE.)

Today we are sharing episode 2: Mixing Chalk Paint

It is so easy to mix chalk paint to customize the perfect color for your project!  Just make sure to mix enough to finish your project!

You can watch the video here to learn how to mix chalk paint:

Stay tuned over the next several weeks, and we will share more tips and how-to’s with chalk paint!

Also, I have tons of tutorials and chalk paint projects on the blog.  To see them, just search “chalk paint” in the search bar the the top right corner of the page.

Also, if you have any ideas or suggestions for what other types of tutorials we should create, please comment and let us know!  We would love to hear your thoughts!

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

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Today I’m sharing a unique source for customizable artwork to fit any room in your home.

I have been looking for artwork for my guest room, and I found the most amazing art.  It’s different, fun, and I custom-created it so it is perfect for my space!  I selected a piece of art I loved and changed the colors and patterns to match my guest room.

I found (and created) my art at *Modify Ink. Modify Ink is a simple to use website where you select a piece of art and customize it to fit your needs.  I like to describe it as coloring books for adults!

*Update: Unfortunately Modify Ink is no longer in business.

The hardest part of the process is selecting your art.  There are so many fun pieces to choose from! Once you select your piece, you’ll be given several different variations.  You can select one and modify it any way you’d like!

The customizing part couldn’t be easier.  Modify Ink walks you through the entire process. Once you are done, you can select your size, order, and it will be shipped out in a few days!

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

To see the full tutorial for how I painted the fabric headboard in my guest room with chalk paint, click on the photo below:

Today I’m sharing all the details behind how I have been branding my passion.

Recently I was featured on Ahalogy‘s blog in the post: Building a Brand from a Blog.  To see Ahalogy’s blog post, click HERE.  The author does a nice job of outlining an interview we had about how I built (and continue to build) my brand.  And she makes me look so much better than I am.  Thanks, Grace!  I talk about how creating has always been a passion of mine, and my creative journey has led me to my blog where I share my home decor endeavors.  And, building a brand from a blog doesn’t happen immediately.  It takes persistence, consistency, and a love for what you do.

I began dabbling in blogging in early 2013.  I had no idea what I was doing, but I occasionally posted (a few times a month) – and my posts were mainly lovingly read by my mom and sisters. We bought a new house in the fall of 2013, and I decided to take my blog to the next level (Meaning: hopefully people other than my family would actually read it.).  Beginning in January of 2014 I was going to blog consistently (twice a week) and do my best to blog quality content.  In March of 2014, I was overjoyed to have 2,400 page views a month.  I had come a long way from where I was at the year before.  When I discovered that pins could actually be scheduled, I joined Analogy. (More From Your Blog does a great job explaining what Analogy is.  Click HERE to read more.)  Analogy opened a new world and took my blog to the next level by making me more visible on Pinterest.  Visibility on Pinterest equals traffic.  By January of this year, I was seeing ten times more traffic than the year before.

Blogging has been a roller coaster ride of many ups and many downs. Keeping my page views up requires consistent work.  And just when I think I have my numbers growing, I can suddenly see a decline.

Looking back over the past few years, my blog has changed a lot since I first began.  Not only has my blog look changed, but my logo has changed. This was the first logo version I introduced in 2013:

It seemed too formal and stuffy, and I wanted it to look more like a signature since “Sincerely, Sara D.” is how I signed off on my blog posts. So, my second logo (maybe late in 2013?) was introduced:

It still felt too stuffy to me.  I wanted it to look more handwritten.  So, I hired a hand lettering artist to create something for me, and this is the logo I currently have:

It’s been such a fun journey, and I’ve learned so much in the past few years!  Thanks so much to Grace at Ahalogy for organizing all the thoughts in my head.  And thank you to all of you who read my blog and follow along. 

You are so appreciated!

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest        

My kitchen doesn’t have a backsplash, and I have been wanting to add one for some time.  I’ve been spending a lot of time searching Pinterest lately, and it’s obvious that there has been a resurgence of subway tile in kitchens.  They are everywhere, and I think subway tile is just what my kitchen needs. Did you know that subway tile first appeared throughout the tunnels of the newly opened New York City subway system in the early 1900s?  After its debut, subway tile quickly made its way into residential uses – often in kitchens and bathrooms.  It’s well-loved for not only aesthetic reasons, but for its functionality.  Subway tile is durable and stain-resistant.

(Image from sweethomedesignideas.com)

Don’t you love the dark grout with the white tiles in this image? What I thought was going to be an easy decision escalated to a really complicated one.  I had no idea how many decisions there are when selecting a subway tile backsplash!  Do I go with glass or ceramic subway tiles?  What color tile – do I want the classic white or something more colorful?  Do I match the tile to my cabinets or go lighter…or should I go darker?  What color grout should I use – have you seen all the grout options?  Do I want matte or glossy tiles?  Do I want the standard larger subway tiles or the small ones? Should I end the tile under the cabinets or go all the way to the ceiling?  Suddenly I found myself completely stressed out – over subway tile! I’ve been pinning away on my Beautiful Kitchens board on Pinterest.  Here are a few subway tile inspiration photos I found on Pinterest.

This image on Pinterest (unfortunately it’s linked to a site that no longer exists) shows how beautiful class white subway tile can be.  And, it makes me want to knock out my cabinets and replace them with open shelving!

I’m loving this glossy gray from Heavy on the Veggie.

I like the herringbone pattern above the stove on this image from Better Homes and Gardens.  And this makes me love a darker tile even more.  And it makes me want that awesome stove.  (Maybe I would suddenly start loving to cook if I had it?!)

I love the full wall tile application like in this photo from ciao! newport beach…

…but then I also like seeing less tile and some wall like in this image from Julie Blanner. I’ve spent a lot of time in my kitchen staring as I try to envision what my subway tile backsplash will look like.

I’m excited to share what I decided to go with as well as the final project early next month! Go create something!

Are you new to my blog?

Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Want to see what else I’m up to?  Click on the photos below: