Pin-Up Girl

Digital media and Web resources such as Pinterest have revolutionized the way we collect, archive, and share our ideas. Call me old fashioned, but I still appreciate having a physical spot to gather snippets of my favorite things in life, as well as inspiration for personal projects.

I'd been admiring some gorgeous linen pinboards from Restoration Hardware, Horchow, and Pottery Barn for quite some time, but their outrageous price tags had kept me at bay. After stalking them for months without encountering any decent promotions, I decided to roll up my sleeves and make my own. Here's how it all went down!

Since l had a rather large pinboard in mind, I needed a lightweight foundation that could easily be mounted and secured to the wall over my desk. I scored a jumbo 36" x 48" gallery wrapped canvas at Michaels, which was a steal at 40% off (Hooray for couponing!), along with two cork rolls, tacky glue, and some D-ring hardware.

I picked up a yard and a half of écru linen at Mood. I absolutely adore the clean look of raw, unbleached linen - it creates a classic and perfectly neutral backdrop for the assortment of elements that will eventually be pinned to this board.

With the canvas placed facedown on the floor, I started by gluing the cork to its backside. I chose tacky glue as my adhesive since it offers a gummy bond after it dries and will accomodate pushpins nicely. It's like wallpapering - make sure you get an even layer of glue, match up your lines, and press down. Tacky glue is pretty forgiving, so if you need to make any adjustments, all you have to do is gently peel the cork up, reposition, and press.

I used a bunch of heavy books (and a puppy) to keep the cork anchored flat as the glue dried for two hours.

After ironing all the wrinkles out of the linen (Thank you, Chris!!), I laid the canvas on top of the fabric and traced/cut a 3" margin around the perimeter. Next, using the fabric's straight edge to ensure that its weave lines were aligned at the borders, I carefully wrapped and stapled the linen around the wooden frame. I opted to reverse the usual "hospital bed" tucking at the joints to create streamlined, yet interesting corners.

Lastly, I attached hanging hardware to the wooden frame. I used three D-ring hangers in order to support the colossal size of my board. Smaller boards would probably only require two hangers.

Voilà! I now have a lovely & splendidly enormous pinboard! I can't wait to dress it up with beautiful mementos, swatches, and muses. This was an incredibly simple project, and I'd highly recommend it for anybody looking to add a some affordable and functional flair to their walls.

Prints Charming

Last night, I came home to find a package sitting by our front door. Don’t you love it when that happens? Turns out Chris had one of my favorite photos from our wedding blown up onto a gallery-wrapped canvas. This photo was taken during our first dance by our good friend, Benjamin. I love its dreamy and semi-abstract depiction of a moment that still remains crystal clear in my mind.

I’m usually pretty reserved when it comes to displaying photos of ourselves around our home, but this one definitely makes the cut! Such a thoughtful surprise from Mr. Jeng. He gets points for this one :)

Mirror, Mirror On My Wall

The Honeycomb mirror featured in Southern Living magazine

Remember that peacock mirror I was raving about two weeks ago? Almost immediately after posting, I started receiving tips about a very similar mirror that Pier 1 was offering at a much lower price point. It's called the Honeycomb mirror, and it has been featured in numerous blogs and magazines over the past year. The very next day, I started calling every Pier 1 in the Tri-state area to locate a Honeycomb (which was not available for purchase online), only to learn that they were sold out across the entire Northeast. Boooo.

After listening to my sob story that evening, Chris came up with the brilliant idea of calling Pier 1 stores in Indiana, where my parents live. Turns out these mirrors have also been flying off the shelves throughout the Midwest. We managed to snag the very last Honeycomb in Fort Wayne, which my parents graciously picked up and drove to New York last weekend. My dad helped me hang it over our dining table, and here it is!

 

What an exceptional find! It sparkles, it dazzles, and its price tag ($250, on sale for $120!) was just as easy on the eyes. I'm a firm believer in mixing substantial investment pieces with unique bargain finds to complete and personalize a home. I can't help but smile every time I look up and think of my loved ones who constantly indulge my crazy whims and worked together to get that fantastic mirror on my wall.