bits and bobs {part 2}

well ... it took me over a month to collect/create each piece. and another to find a round mirror - necessary for the perfect arrangement that i had in my head. and then even longer to find a free saturday morning to hang everything ... but i'm excited to finally share our very own bits & bobs wall with you all:

did you miss my earlier post w/ all kinds of inspiration? check it out here.
so what exactly does our wall include thus far?

a few links to my little creations:
* {PINspired} bouquet paint by number
* {PINspired}for the love of maps
* mix & match {clip}art

of course - i just said thus far. as with everything, our little bits & bobs wall is a work in progress. we're living on a budget people - so i planning to pick up additions little by little.  {in fact, i might have already ordered this adorable watercolor calendar from oh my deer on etsy.}

completely random ... but a huge hooray for this better homes & gardens tip: use kraft paper & painter's tape to determine your arrangement before you start banging holes in your walls! so very helpful!

{ PINspired } for the love of maps!

today's {PINspiration}: these adorable map hearts by bombus. 

{source: notonthehighstreet.com}

our bits and bobs wall is coming together! i haven't actually hung a single piece of art - but i've been collecting all sort of fun things. recently i saw these map hearts on pinterest and thought - my map loving husband would love these (well as much as a man can like heart shaped art!). but at $100 a piece ... it was time for a DIY! over the weekend while wade was traveling, i finally found time to make my own.

supplies: 

* 2 square frames (i found 2 black 5"x5" from Michaels for $3.00 each! a little white paint - and they are perfect) 

* 2 pieces of white cardstock

* 1 extra piece of cardstock for stencil (i used the picture that came in the frames)

* your maps! (i found some on

step 1: cut your piece of cardstock (for your stencil) to fit your frame. if your frame is brand new, you can use the original "picture" from them as it will already fit perfect. sketch your heart in the center - leaving space on each side so that your matting shows through the frame (i left a little over 1/2" on each side). if you don't trust your freehand, there are lots of free heart stencils just a google away - like this one here from moms break.

step 2: carefully cut out the center heart leaving the heart-shaped outside piece intact.

step 3: place your heart-shaped matting over your map. once you find the perfect framing, trace the outside square of the stencil and cut the map to size.

step 4: assemble your frame - and you're finished!

credits:
bebas - font squirrel 
learning curve - dafont 
blog bling - pugly pixel

{ PINspired } paint by number.

are you as addicted to pinterest as i am!?! i have to make a conscious effort to avoid it during the work day or i can get lost pinning for hours on end! hours, people! yikes.

all that time pinning needed purpose. and so to motivate myself and to share a few of my ultimate favorite finds ... i introduce a new series on the blog {PINspired}!

today's {PINspiration}: this paint by number project by ashley ann of under the sycamore.

 {source: under the sycamore}

w/ $10 burning a hole in my pocket ... i hit up garage sales last weekend w/ the intention to buy bits and bobs for the boring 'ol wall in the living room. i printed out a few of the inspiration walls that i had shared last week to keep me on task (talk about garage sale-ing w/ purpose!). included in the inspiration was ashley ann's living room - and her paint by number bouquet. to my delight, i came upon a similar bouquet print for just $2.00:

for the full diy on under the sycamore - click here.

i've been ultra busy working on little projects for our bits and bobs wall. so here's a little bonus {PINspired} project i wrapped up last week:

{PINspiration}                                                     {PINspired}

{unfortunately pinterest isn't always the best for finding the original source. if you know who designed this original print - please let me know!}