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You are visiting: Home » Decorating/DIY » Page 18

It’s a Small World (and a Giant Project) After All

by Lindsay Ballard on December 18, 2014 1,839 Comments

Friends, the longest single project I have ever attempted has reached completion. My hand-painted and incredibly detailed Mary Blair inspired walls are finished.  It may be a Small World, but it turned into a huge project.

Hand painted Mary Blair inspired feature wall via MakelyHome.com

I couldn’t be more thrilled with the way it turned out. However, I will admit that this single project almost broke me and my blog. I spent months (8 months, off and on) on these sections of wall. When I wasn’t feeling inspired, I simply ignored the project. The last few years, I’ve lived by a one-project-at-a-time policy, so I wouldn’t let myself start something new even when my brain needed a break. I’ve admittedly been down in the decorating dumps for a while, and I’m sorry that I haven’t had more to share with you. I really thought I was going through blogger fatigue, but now that this project is finished, I know that it was really just project fatigue.

But on the occasion when I was feeling inspired, I’d draw out the designs and paint them with my tiny, ¼” paint brushes. The section on the left – around the desk that my husband built (more on that later!) – wasn’t too bad to complete. I put a drop cloth down on the floor and just started painting.

Hand painted Mary Blair inspired feature wall via MakelyHome.com

But once I got to the other sections, I had a lot more prep-work to do. I was terrified that I’d drip or sling paint on my plain white walls or on my kitchen counters/cabinets. I’m a fairly messy painter, so that fear was real, y’all. I was starting to think I had bitten off more than I could chew.

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Tame Gifts that You Can Buy On Your Way to a White Elephant Party

by Lindsay Ballard on December 12, 2014 79 Comments

I absolutely love being invited to holiday parties that involve a White Elephant gift exchange.  I’m one of those people who will totally jack your gift in the game, and if you aren’t paying close enough attention, I’ll incorporate some strategy to make sure that it’s mine in the end.  As with anything else, I’m super competitive.

This year, we’ve been invited to 3 parties that have a White Elephant gift exchange, so I’ve been trying to think of some excellent gifts to bring.  When I saw this video from Pop Sugar with a list of affordable and stylish White Elephant gifts, I was really excited to check it out.

I loved all of their ideas – really fun and unique.  But here’s the deal – I don’t plan with enough advanced notice to be able to swing by Anthropologie or order something from Amazon.  In true Lindsay fashion, I’m running out to the store the day of the party to grab my gift.

So, I thought I would put together some gift guides for gifts that you could pick up at your local grocery store or drug store.  These gifts are certainly not as stylish as those from Pop Sugar, but they are definitely better than some of the things I’ve come home with in the past.  Today, we’ll be looking at tame White Elephant gifts for things like work parties.

 

Tame Gifts that You Can Buy On Your Way to a White Elephant Party

 

1.  Wine/Liquor – Let’s be honest.  Most of the time, you just can’t go wrong with a bottle of wine or liquor.  Maybe it speaks volumes about me and my friends, but the alcohol is always one of the first things to be stolen.  Get creative and pick a wine with a really fun label or pick up some liquor that will really get the party started (Fireball, anyone?).  I’ve even been to a White Elephant party that was a liquor/wine only exchange, and the end of that night was pretty memorable.

Mommy's Time Out

Wine via Mommy’s Time Out (also the makers of Dad’s Day Off)

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About Makely

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.


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