(Ep. 4 – PERSONAL TOUCHES)

It’s the first week of August! Can you believe that we’re already more than halfway through the year? What better way to celebrate than with another episode in ETM’s monthly series? This time, I want to talk about incorporating your own touches to your space! I know we’ve talked about stylish touches before, but this is a little different. It’s finding a way to incorporate the things you like into your space. Things that may not be as conventional or traditional, but who said you have to stick to that?!

This goes for your own space or your Little One’s space too. Whatever space is being decorated should have some personal touches of the person who inhabits it the most! I love painting, and I love finding ways to incorporate paintings into my space. Plus flowers, crystals, and other trinkets. So if one of these 3 ideas I’m about to share with you doesn’t necessarily feel like it belongs in your space, see if you can find a way to incorporate your own likes!

And as always, feel free to click the photo to watch the video!

Stencil Art

As I said, I love finding ways to incorporate paintings into my space. So naturally, this first idea involves paint. And it’s great for any space, whether Little Ones are in it or not! All you need is a canvas, some paint, and a stencil of your choice. (This is what makes it great for any space!) It can be a printable animal or flower graphic from the DIY Network, which includes a giraffe, elephant, butterfly, flower, or kite. Or you can even make your own customizable initial, name, or phrase!

Then simply cut out around the stencil, tape to the canvas, and paint the areas that are still showing. Once it’s dry, just peel off the stencil and add a coat of clear seal to the whole canvas. Voila! It’s awesome because not only can you choose what stencil to use, you can also choose what colors to use and add your own artistic twist to it if you’d like! You can even go back after peeling the stencil and decorate the canvas some more. I decided to keep it simple, use the elephant stencil, and painted it some greenish/gray neutral tones that match our home without adding any extra detail.

Related: Ep. 3 – Utilizing Space

Think Outside The Box

I always have been a bit of an unconventional person when it comes to home decor. But as with everyone, my taste and skills are ever-evolving. Sometimes though, I still like to purposely do things that are a bit untraditional. So, I looked around at all the minuscule things to see what could use some TLC. In the end, I decided to add some flare to my light switch cover. And it ended up being one of the cheapest and easiest projects I’ve ever done!

I unscrewed the plate, took some of my favorite stickers, and slapped them on. Then I took a razor blade and (carefully!) trimmed the edges off, as well as where the screws and switch insert through. Then I simply put it back on. Easy as that! The cool part about decorating light switches is that you can add stickers, paint it, or even buy pre-made ones that come in certain themes. I’ve even seen resin epoxy molds for light switches that are simply beautiful!

Brighten Up Your Space

This idea is great for spaces without wired or natural light. (Yes, these spaces still exist and we have one in our home.) So I wanted to get creative with the lighting in that room rather than just buy another plain old lamp. I had a string of lights that I used for an event previously and had them strung along the room where the top of the wall and the ceiling meet. But I wanted something different. And I found the perfect idea!

I had a piece of wood lying around, as well as some small nails that I’d used for a previous project. So I hammered some nails on the wood in the shape of the moon. (I left about 1/4″-1/2″ sticking out above the wood.) Then I just wrapped the string lights around the nails all willy-nilly and attached the control box to the back. Now I can place the piece of wood to a space lower down on the wall where my light can be more concentrated! And you can do whatever pattern you like! I would love to do a sun piece with a different color of string lights next!

Related: Ep. 2 – Stylish Touches

Make Your Space Yours

No matter what you want to incorporate into your space, do it! It’s your space after all! And it’s tons of fun to watch Little Ones use their creativity and imagination when it comes to decorating their space too! So whatever you want to do, make it yours.

As always, thank you so very much for being a part of ETM’s community! I encourage you to join discussions, interact with others alike, and be unapologetically yourself! Until next time, I hope I’m able to help make your life as simple as could be. (:

With all my love, Brandolyn – Earth To Momma