Take Stripes from Your Wardrobe to Your Walls 17

Stripes have been a mainstay in American fashion since pinstripe suits surged in popularity in the U.S. in the 1920’s and 30’s with stars like Cary Grant and Clark Gable as well as mobsters and jazz musicians. We’ve seen everything from zebra stripes and bold colorful striped patterns to the classic, nautical inspired stripes from Coco Chanel over the last century everywhere we look. Why not take these stripes out of the closet and add them to your walls?

One way you can add instant appeal to a boring solid color wall is to create an accent. Whether you want to add something funky and fun or cool and classic, there are plenty of tutorials out there on how to paint stripes on your walls. But wouldn’t you rather just peel and stick a few striped decals on instead? Whoa! You can get the same great look but without any mess and in just minutes!

My Wonderful Walls now offers stripe wall decals in a myriad of patterns, widths and colors. Not only can you easily create an accent wall in your bedroom, living room or office space but you can use these decals to create a fun border around an entire room. Check out our chevron wall decals if you want to have some fun! Plus, if you don’t see the color you want, just email us. We can probably create it for you.

Our solid stripe wall decals can be used horizontally, vertically or diagonally…heck you can even do all three! Each order comes in a 25-foot section and you can choose from 6 different widths up to 17” wide. Create an interesting pattern or use our solid stripes around the edge of an open kitchen or small space to help separate that room or instantly make any room look larger.

Our wood grain stripes are an awesome way to add the illusion of chair rail without any expensive remodeling. You can also use these wood pattern stripes to create an interesting accent over a fireplace and combine with a solid color stripe in a different width for a unique look.

Don’t be afraid to take stripes from your wardrobe to your walls and experiment a little. It’s been a long time since anyone thought it was only bankers, athletes or criminals who wore stripes so you are free to decorate every room in your house with these fun decals.

Whichever you choose, My Wonderful Walls Stripe Wall Decals are made in the USA to last and guaranteed to look great. Our wall decals are non-toxic, high quality fabric decals that look painted on and will not ruin your walls. Make sure to check out our All New page for our newest products and our Liquidation Bin for great discounts on slightly irregular decals and overstock items!

Paws Park Wall Decals Get Tails A-Wagging At the East Bay Dog Spot 9

If you’re married, you may have had the experience where someone asks both you and your spouse the same question and get either strikingly similar responses or two totally different ones. We thought it would be fun to share the responses we received from Kip Kirby, owner of East Bay Dog Spot, a dog training center in Gulf Breeze, FL and her husband John Seal who not only helps with the business end but gets credit for the building’s décor.

Kip and John have been some of the nicest customers we’ve ever worked with and just all around good people. Here’s what they had to say when asked about their experiences with our wall decals and their dog training business.

MWW:  How did you two meet and how long have you been together?

Kip: John and I met online through Match.com.  He was living in Fort Myers, FL and playing bass guitar in classic rock bands.  I was living in Nashville and working as a trainer with PetSmart, as well as writing artist bios and articles for music magazines. I saw his picture one night and was struck by our many similarities even though he was British and had spent his career in Silicon Valley out in California.  The connection between us was instant and immediate.  Within three weeks, we had written over 350 long emails to each other.  Then we started talking through Facetime.   A month later, I flew to Fort Myers to meet him in person and realized I’d fallen in love. Three months after that, John moved to Nashville to be with me, and we were married two years ago on a tiny remote island off the coast of St. Thomas.  I think of us as a love story that doesn’t end – with dogs.

John: I was living in Fort Myers and had been on Match.com for a couple of months.  I was instantly impressed when she contacted me, and sent me a lovely long email about her experiences.  None of the others had opened up so easily and fully when they responded.  She was incredibly talented, and has had a great and varied career.  As the emails went on, I learned more about her, but also learned a lot about myself.  I think this is the biggest difference at this point in my life. It was an intense and deep beginning to our relationship which has continued to this day.   It didn’t take long before I fell in love with her.  I learned from Kip how to be in a relationship (and am still learning!).  She is certainly the best thing that has happened in my life, and has brought out in me so many characteristics that I never really knew I had. 

MWW:  What do you love about where you live?

Kip:   What don’t we love? Moving to Gulf Breeze this year was the best thing we’ve ever done!  This part of the Florida Panhandle is laid-back, friendly and welcoming.  We live only 15 minutes from Navarre Beach and half an hour from Pensacola Beach.  It’s like being on vacation, only we never have to leave!  We take our Shelties with us when we eat out on restaurant decks and patios, and there’s even an open stretch of white sand and blue surf on Pensacola Beach that is dog-friendly.  For us, life doesn’t get any better than this.

John: The proximity to the beach.  I was brought up a ten-minute walk away from the beach in the South of England (Bournemouth). Although the weather was not often very nice, I always liked being there.  When Kip sold her house in Nashville, we had a very short time to find a new home.  Florida was on our list of maybes, and one night while Kip was at one of her classes, I started searching on the Florida coast.  By the time she came home, I told her “I think I found our dream house.”  This area is very laid back and relaxed, but it is so nice to be back close to the beach again.

MWW:   How did you find out about My Wonderful Walls?

John:  We were searching on Google for dog stickers for the new dog training center to decorate the walls.  I found the My Wonderful Walls website, and went over it again and again, looking at how other customers had used the artwork to create scenes.  The price seemed at first a little higher than we planned to pay, but the results paid off.

Kip:  We knew we wanted to do something different for East Bay Dog Spot, our new dog training business.  The building had previously housed an air conditioning repair service, so it was very plain and had no personality.  Painting the whole place in bright, cheerful colors was the obvious first step – but what else could we do to add flair and make it feel like a place people would want to bring their puppies?  John went online one evening and started looking at all kinds of decals, stickers and “wall art.”  I’ll never forget how excited he was when he discovered My Wonderful Walls and saw the Paws Park Wall Sticker Kit.

Seeing them displayed in other people’s “real life settings” gave John the concept of how to do something similar in our dog training center, and he placed our order.  From the beginning, our whole Puppy Play Area was planned around My Wonderful Walls and your whimsical doggie stickers.  And knowing we could move them around and use them over and over if we wanted to change the scene was another big selling point.  

MWW: Have you used wall decals in the past and if so what was your experience? 

John and Kip:  Never!  This was a first for us!  We’d used stickers and magnets on cars and vans.  Some were magnetic, some were “peel and stick.” We had no idea wall stickers could be removable – and the fact that yours were “fabric” told us they weren’t going to be like anything else we saw on the internet!

MWW: Did you consider any of our other products instead of the Paws Park Wall Sticker Kit? If so what made you decide on it.

John: Clearly the Paws Park set is the most appropriate for our particular application.  I have not seen anything else like it. 

Kip:  No, because Paws Park was absolutely PERFECT for us! It’s as if the artist designed these whimsical little animal caricatures just for me!  I smile every time I walk into the building and look at them while I’m setting up for a training session or a class.  People oooh and aaaah over them, and always ask us who painted them on the wall for us?  We’re tempted to say “we did,” but we admit the truth:  we bought them, and we’re very glad we did! 

MWW:  What made you choose to use stickers versus our Paws Park Wall Stencil Kit?

John:  I really liked the idea of the stickers, as they are easy to apply and stay in place really easily.  The stickers have depth and tone and the characters and expressions of the animals are adorable!  I’m not sure I could capture that with a stencil kit. 

Kip:  For me, the most amazing part is that they are fully removable and reusable should we decide to move our training facility.  They look like paintings – yet they’re stickers, and stickers you can peel off and use over and over.  Phenomenal concept! 

MWW:  Would you change anything about the process of creating a wall mural with our stickers? 

John: From my first concept to the finished product, everything seemed to flow very easily. We originally were only going to use one green color for the grass hills, but quickly realized that it would not give us the perceived depth we wanted for the scene.  The examples by other customers were perhaps the best influence on us deciding to use the product. 

Kip: When John told me he wanted to add a much darker green background hill for perspective, I was nervous because I thought the scene looked so nice already.  But he was right: adding the extra color and hill was a very important touch for dimension.

MWW:  What made you decide to create a mural in your business? What difference does the mural make in how your customers perceive your business?  

John:  We didn’t start out deciding on a mural.  We wanted to add a lively, warm, and lighthearted feel to the room, and planned to use dog-related stickers. One evening when I was searching on Google, I discovered the “paws” layout, and I got totally blown away by the idea.  Your examples by other customers on your site really caught my attention, and inspired me to start thinking about a design for us.  As you can see, I copied many of the other examples posted by your users.  

Kip: What a great question! The Park Paws decal set makes ALL the difference in how customers perceive our business – and quite honestly, even how we perceive our business.  How could you not walk through the front door each day and break into a happy grin the minute you look over at the mural?    For me, seeing John creating that mural wall in the front reception area was a turning point in believing my business would be a huge success. 

MWW: How long have you been a dog trainer? Do you both work with the dogs? 

Kip:  I’ve been working with dogs since 1996 when I got my first dog, a Sheltie named Soundbite. Because of her, I started doing obedience and agility and we became only the second agility team in Tennessee to earn the AKC’s prestigious MACH and USDAA’s ADCH titles in 2002. Before starting my own private dog training business in Nashville, I spent five years as a lead trainer for PetSmart teaching group classes.  In May, John and I sold our house in Nashville and relocated to Gulf Breeze, FL where we’ve opened East Bay Dog Spot, the area’s first-ever store-front training business!

John isn’t a trainer, but I couldn’t do what I do without his help and support in the background. If it weren’t for him, my building wouldn’t look the way it does – and I wouldn’t have known about My Wonderful Walls or the Paws Park decal set!  He also takes care of paperwork on the night of new group classes so that I can greet people coming in.

MWW:   What do you like most about working with animals?

Kip: I love this question.  The answer is:  everything!  I love the process of “reading dogs” and helping pet parents be able to communicate better with their dogs.   The process of watching dogs learn good manners, new skills and even tricks through proper training never stops being fascinating to me.  I don’t always have patience in my own life – but I always have endless patience with animals.   I get great satisfaction from helping people problem-solve issues and bring out the best in their own dogs.  

MWW:  What was the biggest challenge starting your new business?

Kip:  I’d say the biggest challenge was converting the tiny air conditioning installation and repair building into a place people will want to come with their dogs! It isn’t a fancy building, so eye appeal and atmosphere are really important.  Also the financial commitment was a challenge.  In Nashville, I went to people’s homes to train their dogs.  Having a store-front location means monthly rent, utility bills, insurance coverage and responsibilities.  Hopefully the investment will pay off!  But dog training is my passion, so I’m optimistic that our leap of faith will prove to be the best step I’ve ever taken.

MWW:  What advice would you give to other small businesses just starting out?

Kip:  Naturally, building a new business doesn’t happen overnight.  I’ve been going out into the community, meeting with vets and groomers and everyone I can think of who might be interested.  I’ve visited the local Chamber of Commerce, put my cards out at various businesses, and will be getting PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINER t-shirts I can wear with my East Bay Dog Spot logo prominently displayed.  Invest your time in your community and also create a very strong online presence with websites, Facebook pages, and YouTube videos. 

MWW:   Do you have your own pets? What are their names, ages, breeds?

Kip: John laughs when I say we “only” have three dogs right now, but I had six at one time, so this doesn’t seem like that many to me, especially as the oldest one is a senior at nearly 16 years of age.  Our current dogs are all Shelties:  D-Brit Seal (3 and a half), Leica (10 months) and Orbit (almost 16!). We are about to get a brand new puppy – it will be another blue merle Sheltie.  My goal is that she’ll be a great demo dog for me in my dog training business and eventually can become my first-ever therapy dog, so she and I can visit hospitals and hospices together. 

MWW:  Anything else you’d like us to know?

Kip:  Quite honestly, I can’t imagine East Bay Dog Spot without this eye-catching, conversation-starter for all my clients and students to marvel at as they walk through the front door!  The cartoon-like characters cheer me up each time I look at them, and they never fail to get comments from people seeing the wall for the first time. John and I aren’t artists, but Paws Park makes it look like we are.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you for producing (selling) such an exceptional product.

John:  These stickers are of the highest quality, and beautifully designed.  The artist was very creative, and has a wonderful “feel” for her subjects.  I loved the reality and depth, but also the inclusion of a cartoon-like feel to them.  

Thanks John and Kip for answering all those questions. We love seeing a couple so in love and so enthusiastic about their future! We wish you all the best with the East Bay Dog Spot.

Kip Kirby has been working with and training dogs since 1996. She was a regular contributor to Clean Run Magazine and produced a full-length agility training DVD entitled “Dial Up the Distance” hosted by nationally-recognized instructor Kristy Netzer.

Kip is also the recipient of a prestigious gold medal award from Dog Writers Association of America for her original article, “Agility Dogs on the Road,” originally published by Agility Action Magazine (2005).

If you are in the Gulf Breeze, Florida area and would like your dog to work with Kip give her a call at (850) 503-1094 or visit the East Bay Dog Spot online. 

Ella Lives Each Day to the Fullest in Her Garden Themed Bedroom 13

 

For most of our customers when planning a room mural for their children or grandchildren, their thoughts are of how wonderful it will be watching the child grow with the room. For many they pick out the design they did for the simple fact it can last through babyhood into toddler years and beyond. But for one family, raising a medically fragile child means just taking each day as it comes and making the most of it.  Recently, we learned of the struggle one of our young customers in Massachusetts has been dealing with and how her grandparents wanted to give her an over the top room that would give her a special space to play and rest.

Penny and her husband Chris raised five children together including two that they adopted from Russia. When one of their daughters was unable to raise her own daughter, Ella, Penny and Chris gained guardianship and later adopted Ella. Unfortunately, the road for Ella has been a rough one since birth. When Ella was born and still in the hospital, she was misdiagnosed with an eye condition called Aniridia later in 2015 they found out it was actually Congenital Mydriasis. In this condition the iris muscle doesn’t contract so the eye stays fully dilated at all times. At three months old after a period of being very irritable and not eating much Ella underwent an endoscopy but during the procedure went into total heart failure. The next day she was moved to Children’s Hospital in Boston. They found a giant hole in her heart called an AP Window. A few days later, once they stabilized her and had a plan, the doctors performed open heart surgery.

About two years later Ella was also diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. But after surgery to remove her adenoids and shave down her tonsils, she seemed to be doing much better and began to thrive. That all changed on Saturday September 12, 2015 at 3:30 in the morning. The night before, Ella had a small fever and Penny treated it with alternating Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Ella seemed to be in good spirits when she awoke, still feverish during the early hours Saturday morning.  She was excited by the thought of being up with a snack, juice and a movie in the middle of the night.  A few minutes later, Ella told Penny she was going to be sick and as Penny brought her into the bathroom, Ella collapsed. Penny quickly realized Ella was paralyzed on her right side and couldn’t speak. She knew Ella had had a stroke.

After treatment both at their local hospital and Children’s Hospital, it was both confirmed that Ella had a stroke and suspected that she had a genetic mutation causing Multisystemic Smooth Muscle Dysfunction Syndrome. Later a blood test would prove that was the case. Unfortunately, Ella’s condition has been progressing. Her right coronary artery is blocked 100% and her left is partially blocked making it necessary to have brain bypass surgery. Penny and Chris have been told if the disease continues to progress like this, Ella could start to stroke again. They know that this could happen as soon as tomorrow or maybe in a couple of years. With so little known about Multisystemic Smooth Muscle Dysfunction Syndrome, the doctors simply do not have a lot of answers. Penny and Chris and their entire family hold out hope but are also realistic. Ella will be having a brain angiogram before the first of the year to give her doctors better imaging and more answers hopefully.

Even in the midst of all this, Ella is a beautiful, happy little girl. Penny says that Ella has deep understanding and empathy for others. She makes friends quickly, is patient and accepting of children who find it hard to fit in. She loves to play dress up, princess and tea party.  Penny and Ella spend a lot of time doing artwork and hanging out in the garden or the kitchen. Pink is Ella’s favorite color and she loves anything covered in glitter or that sparkles. She recently started her second year of Pre-K and is overall doing well. 

Penny wanted to create a space that allows Ella’s imagination to run free and that was inviting for others to join in and play. Since Ella has a lot of restrictions on her activity because of her condition and being on blood thinners, she misses out on some things a healthy little girl usually gets to take part in. Penny wanted her to have a space that would let her be a princess one minute and a mom feeding a baby the next. She wanted Ella to have room to read and rest or sit to do crafts and a theme to make it cohesive. When Penny searched for flower stencils on Google, she found My Wonderful Walls and was happily surprised to find out we also sold wall stickers. The fact that she wouldn’t have to paint a flower garden for Ella won Penny over. There are lots of special touches around the room like the loft bed with a play place for Ella underneath and a My Wonderful Walls personalized pillow that matches Ella’s garden decals. Penny even purchased some extra stickers to really go a bit over the top when decorating.

The only trouble Penny had with using the decals was when she attempted to apply the large tree decals to the walls alone. She told us, “I was advised when I purchased the set, to get help for the trees. But me being me couldn’t resist attempting it on my own. At which point I created a big mess of branches sticking to one another. But great news if you should too decide to become an idiot like myself, it was easy to unstick the branches from themselves and onto the wall.” Penny reports that the decals look like they’re painted on and that you can’t really tell they are decals. She has had nothing but compliments.

Just talking to Penny briefly it is easy to see how much she loves Ella and how educated she has become on a very rare disease. There are less than 40 people worldwide with the genetic mutation that causes Multisystemic Smooth Muscle Dysfunction Syndrome. This particular syndrome effects all of the smooth muscle. The bowel, bladder, lungs, eyes, heart, brain and vascular structure.  Every patient is different and only some of these patients have the brain complication such as Ella. 

Penny said it best when she told us, “We all are predisposed to believing we will have a long healthy life in front of us and live in that illusion. Some of us dream that we will get married, have children, watch those children grow into beautiful beings and start their own families. Yet there are a million sayings about tomorrow not being promised. My husband Chris and I, have put aside our expectations of what the future will look like and live free in the moment. For we are truly blessed for TODAY!”  

For more information about this syndrome and in particular the risk for Aortic Dissection and Aneurysms, check out The John Ritter Foundation page.

Beautiful Things Giveaway - Enter to Win 10 Gifts Worth $356 Total 169

 

We know this is a busy time of year for most folks; especially if you are a mom! So while you're getting the kids off to school or homeschooling each day, cooking dinner, going to work or working at home, take a little time out for you. We've gathered these handcrafted items to allow you to enjoy some quiet time and because we know you might be tempted to give some of these items away as holiday gifts, we're going to tell you to keep the best stuff for yourself. This is one time you get to be selfish! Take a look at what you'll win if you win the Beautiful Things Giveaway then jump down to the Rafflecopter form at the end to enter.

Helios Wall Decal
Art by Valentina Harper, Sticker design by Michael Goins at My Wonderful Walls
Value $63.99 

Michael and Stephanie Goins from My Wonderful Walls in TN offer families a unique solution to their room decorating needs with wall stencils, fabric decals and coordinating accessories. When Michael, a graphic designer painted a mural on their son’s bedroom wall he finally had an idea that Stephanie liked. They would create stencils to help parents who didn’t feel comfortable painting murals bring a little “wonderful” to their kids’ walls. The idea took off and the Goins soon started offering wall stickers, coloring decals and home accessories as well. When they aren’t designing wall décor or talking to customers on the phone, the Goins are busy raising two sons and enjoying scenic Chattanooga. 

This 38.5”w x 40.6” large intricate sun wall decal will look great in any room in the house! Featured artist, Valentina Harper penned this colorful Helios design and we have turned it into a high quality art decal perfect for bedrooms, living rooms, office spaces and dens. The special fabric used in our wall decals means it won’t mess up your walls when you move or remove it and it will be easy to reposition without tearing the sticker. The giveaway winner will receive the large size of this wall sticker or can choose the medium or small if desired. You can purchase this Helios Wall Decal online through My Wonderful Walls in three different sizes. If you order one today and you happen to be our lucky winner, we’ll refund the price of the wall sticker to you!

Check out My Wonderful Walls here too:  Facebook - Instagram - Twitter -Pinterest - YouTube 

Autumn Pinecone Tree Ornament
by Kristen Carrasco at Kikiverde
Value $25

Kristen opened her Etsy shop in 2012 after realizing that her passion for handmade craft had led her to create more things than she could possibly keep for herself or give away to friends and family. Art and design has been a love of Kristen's for as long as she can remember. In fact, her mom jokes that during the age of Velcro, she bribed Kristen into learning how to tie her shoes by telling her that she wouldn't be able to do crafts in Kindergarten if she didn't know how to tie. (She leaned that day.) Kristen's work is heavily influenced by the vibrant colors, textures, and patterns of nature and her shop is filled with joyful and inspired gift items like colorful jewelry, uplifting typographic quote art, and handcrafted ribbon pine cone ornaments.

The ribbon pine cone ornaments are adapted from a Victorian-era craft. Its predecessor was made with balls of tightly woven cloth or an old sock (long before the invention of Styrofoam in 1954) to which elegantly-colored fabrics were folded, arranged, and pinned to create the ornament. The technique was passed down from generation to generation. Taught to Kristen by her mother, the process takes about 2 hours to complete and is her favorite thing to make. The winner will receive one ribbon pine cone decoration in an abstract autumn leaves pattern with shades of orange, brown, rouge, and yellow and a goldenrod yellow accent ribbon. Your ornament can be displayed in a decorative bowl on your coffee table, hung from a mantel shelf hook, and during the holidays used as an ornament on your Christmas tree. Kristen hopes you enjoy your ornament as much as she enjoys the process of creating it.

Check Kikiverde out here too:  Facebook - Pinterest - Instagram  - Twitter - Blog

Decorative Serving Tray
by Marina Martinez at The Cozy Casita
Value $40 

Marina fell in love with Talavera tile at a young age, growing up in Southern California and travelling to Mexico. Talavera tile are hand painted and hand cut tiles popular in Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and there are similar versions in Morocco and Tunisia. Marina recognized them being used in homes across Southern California and something about the beautiful tiles spoke to her heart and artistic sensibility.

She began to create gifts for family and friends using these colorful tiles and soon realized people in other parts of the country may love them just as much! Her business soon took off and Marina considers it an honor that folks all over the country want to add these functional yet artistic pieces to their homes, combining a piece of history with a modern California flair. Whether defining a space, serving coffee or wine, corralling odds and ends, or enjoying breakfast in bed, the uses for these items are endless!  Marina can even make a custom design for you, just convo her. This beautiful decorative tile tray with bright blues, oranges and yellows is the perfect catch-all for organizing your home or office. It's the perfect size for placing your jewelry or glasses at the end of the night, displaying small candles or plants, or for odds and ends at your desk at work. The winner will receive one tray as shown.

Check out The Cozy Casita here too:  Facebook - Instagram - Pinterest

Namaste Tree Lantern
by Rosie Carson at Windcatcher
Value $35

Rosie from Windcatcher is a stay at home mom who stumbled into this very much by accident. She made her first wind chimes as Christmas presents for friends and family and they were blown away. A few of her girlfriends introduced her to Etsy and the rest is history.

Windcatcher is a labor of love for Rosie where she creates items that are crafted from up-cycled wine bottles. She considers it a wonderful thing to save these bottles from landfills and turn them into functional art. The bottom of the bottle is removed and the edges are hand ground and polished to a safe and smooth finish. All of her etchings are unique and each item will be a bit different because they are all done by hand.

The Beautiful Things Giveaway winner will receive one Namaste Tree Wine Bottle Lantern similar to shown with a stand and candle included. Please check out the listing for safety information before using. Rosie says it seems like she learns something new and exciting every day. Working on custom orders is the most fun for her so go ahead and convo her if you have an idea!

Check Windcatcher out here too: Facebook  - Instagram

Whiskey Bandito Leather Journal
by Trevor Washko at Cold Mountain Craft
Value $79

Trevor at Cold Mountain Craft creates fine unique leather items using hand-selected oil-tanned hides, which are hand-cut, hand-punched and hand-sewn. Beautiful and functional, durable and personal, simple and authentic; his work reflects his own self, emerging from the place that he calls home. Because few belongings are more personal, often his journals are custom crafted for the individual. The blank pages of a Cold Mountain Craft journal are an invitation to explore our outer and inner landscapes.

The winner will receive this beautiful heirloom quality, refillable leather journal handmade in Colorado. Designed by an outdoorsman who, rather than have one more journal fall apart from the elements, designed this rugged, high quality, adventure-ready journal. The main leather is Whiskey Bandito, a warm brown, golden oil-tanned cowhide leather with a slight texture. The thread is a turquoise Irish-Waxed Linen. Easily fasten your pages shut with a Magnesite Concho and leather strap. The back of the journal is hand-branded with the Cold Mountain Craft logo. This journal is perfectly designed to hold a standard 5.5" x 8.5" hardbound and heavyweight blank book, for 220 unlined pages of notes and entries (included). The acid free paper was sourced from certified sustainable forests, so you can feel good about refilling your journal again and again.

Check Cold Mountain Craft out here too: Facebook -  Instagram - Website

 

Retro Knit Headband
by Katty Huertas at Katty’s Handcrafts
Value $25

Katty recently moved to Maryland from Florida where she lives with her husband and two cats. Besides running Katty’s Handcrafts, she is also an illustrator and painter, and basically loves anything creative. 

Katty started knitting when her grandmother taught her and never stopped. What she loves about knitting is that it is a very traditional practice yet it allows her to create new and unique designs. Katty’s inspiration comes mostly from nature and vintage fashion. She also loves bold colors and really admires people who aren’t afraid of dressing boldly.

This retro knit headband in navy can double as an ear warmer, looks like a turban and the best part is that you can pull it down and wear it as a mini cowl or neck warmer! It will also make a great yoga headband.  Each headband is made with super soft 100% vegan acrylic yarn from America. Winner will receive this headband in navy blue.

Check out Katty’s Handcrafts here too: Facebook -  Instagram - Tumblr - Website

Hope Inspirational Wine Charms
by Cheryl Lee at The Craft Room Store
Value $13.99

Cheryl from The Craft Room Store is a mother of two wonderful young ladies and a proud grandmother of four. She lives in the mountains of Asheville, NC and gets plenty of inspiration from the beauty there. Cheryl’s mother taught her at a very early age to be crafty, creative and resourceful. Beading is her passion, but Cheryl’s creativity goes in all directions so she wanders with it from time to time. Cheryl believes a girl can never have too much sparkle!!  

Cheryl has been on Etsy since 2010 with The Craft Room Store and branched out with another store on Etsy, The Twisted Beads, last year. She also sells around town in couple of places... The gift shops at The Biltmore Estate, and Dolce Vita on Wall Street, downtown Asheville. 

The winner will receive a set of 5 inspirational wine charms as shown. These elegant wine charms are made with tarnish resistant silver plated wires and accent beads. They would be perfect for any get together and work well with any size stem wear, wine glass, champagne glass or hung on the handle of a coffee mug. 

Check out Cheryl out here too:  The Twisted Beads - Website

Pure Raw Comb Honey
from Jayne and Isaac Barnes at The Honeyrun Farm
Value $12

Back in 2003 Jayne gifted a hive of bees to her then boyfriend, Isaac. With his curiosity in natural and scientific things- combined with an insatiable love for honey- Jayne knew it would be a hit. Little did she realize it would turn into a career and a way of life for their future family! 

Isaac is the beekeeper and spends his Spring, Summer, and Fall days maintaining the health of their 600 colonies of honeybees on their farm in Williamsport, OH. He monitors the hives by checking their brood pattern, ensuring adequate pollen and honey stores, and always making sure the hives' well-being is the first priority. He harvests the surplus honey and brings it back to their honey house- spinning the fresh honey from the comb, straining out the bits of beeswax and bottling it up for customers.

As a mother of four and a small business owner, Jayne wears many hats- along with helping Isaac with aspects of beekeeping, she is the one who corresponds with customer emails as well as making soap, salves, lip balm, and beeswax candles. 

Jayne and Isaac are immersed with their work daily, yet believe when you love what you do, it really doesn't feel like work. Their beautiful children accompany them to complete tasks on the farm, and the husband and wife are continually grateful to be able to stay home with their family while creating natural products from their farm. 

This comb honey is a sample of nature's purest and most sweet food, having not been altered in any way...distilled from the nectar and put in the container by the bees themselves. Use it on biscuits, muffins, toast, cereal, fruit, sandwiches -- or eat it plain, as a wholesome candy. The delicate wax may be eaten, too, or chewed like gum. Each comb square is approximately 10-15 ounces. 

Check out Honeyrun Farm here too:  Instagram – Facebook - Blog

Spa Neck Wraps (set of 2)
by Liz Farnsworth at SoBright Designs
Value $34

As a part time teacher and stay home mother, Liz has been able to build an Etsy shop doing something she loves, creating items that help people feel better. When her mother in law asked Liz to make a wrap for her, a business idea was formed. Her shop is named for her two children, Sophia and Brighton.

Liz’s neck wraps, eye masks and heat pads are made by hand from her home in Easton, PA. They are useful for everything from neck strain from computer use to sports injuries. The winner will receive a set of two neck wraps filled with rice and flax seed. Each measures approx. 5" x 19". Heat wraps are filled with flax seed to hold the heat and rice which gives moist heat. Heat will last for 30+ minutes. They are created with designer cotton fabric for the front and coordinating cozy flannel for the back. You will receive one wrap scented with lavender and the other without scent in navy and teal quatrefoil fabric as shown. Please follow instructions in package for use.

Check out SoBright Designs here too: Facebook - Website

 

Beeswax Candle Trio
by Myla at Sweet Bee Honey & Crafts
Value $28

Myla from Sweet Bee Honey & Crafts got her start about 8 years ago when a friend asked if she wanted to take a beekeeping class with her. Myla had met a couple of beekeepers in the past and remembers thinking that was an interesting hobby but nothing more. But Myla’s friend knew of her Environmental Studies degree and background in gardening/landscaping. She was aware of Colony Collapse Disorder and thought it would be a good way to help or find out more. As a stay-at-home mom at the time, she was unsure about this hobby but though it was interesting enough to take the class.

The first day of the class, about an hour into it, Myla turned to her friend and said, "These honey bees are the coolest thing ever! I am definitely going to get a hive". She went home to her husband gushing with the new things she had learned and the rest is history. Myla has been crafting since she was in preschool. She learned how to crochet and knit at an early age and later on learned some basic quilting and sewing. While she now has less time for knitting and sewing, it's definitely something she still enjoys in the winter, especially.

The beeswax candles are made with honey cappings, beeswax that is a by-product of the honey harvest. They hold the natural scent of the honey they once held. Myla’s beeswax candles will not bring harmful toxins to your home, nor will they leave soot stains behind. Since they are a product of nature, the color and scent may vary. The winner will receive this trio of a wonderfully bold honeycomb textured beeswax pillar (2x6 inch), a diamond pillar (1.7 x 4.5 inch) and a modern beehive skep (1.7 x 2.8 inch).  Two of these candles have been featured in Midwest Living Magazine and have also won ribbons at the MN State Fair.

Check out Sweet Bee Honey here too:  Facebook

Now that you’ve had a chance to check out all ten gifts, it’s time to enter to win! 

WIN IT! One lucky My Wonderful Walls reader will receive all 10 of the items shown above totaling $356.  

HOW TO ENTER: Giveaway is open to those 18 and older in the US and Canada. Also, those 18 and older in Australia, New Zealand and all European Union countries are eligible to win but any customs fees/taxes/duties will be your responsibility.. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. 

Please fill out all requested information in order for us to verify your entries. Giveaway ends at midnight EST on 10/18/2016. See the rules/terms of conditions on the Rafflecopter widget.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WANT A HELIOS DECAL NOW? If you want to purchase this gorgeous Helios Wall Decal now and don’t want to wait until the end of the giveaway to see if you’re the winner, no problem! You can purchase the decal in any size during the giveaway (Oct 11 - 18) and, if you are the lucky winner, we’ll refund the price of the decal and shipping. How cool is that? 

How to Accessorize an Under the Sea Kids Room 3

 

 

Many of our customers create a unique room mural with My Wonderful Walls Under the Sea Wall Stickers or stencils but to really pull a room together, you may want to add some cute ocean themed accessories. There’s no need to spend a fortune to have a well decorated kids room or nursery. Here are five of our favorite DIY nautical and beach themed décor ideas from around the web for any Under the Sea themed kids room:

 

1. You’ll have a whale of a time creating this beautiful painted whale dresser for your baby nursery or kid’s bedroom. DecoArt gives you step by step instructions and a list of supplies with downloadable pdfs of the whale art so even the most novice DIYer can do it! 

1.  Use what nature gave us and create this Driftwood Seahorse from Creative in Chicago. If you don’t live close to the beach, this one may be a little tough but we’ve also seen similar created with wine corks.

1. Heather at Chickabug made this Starfish Salt Dough Garland for the holidays but you could adorn a window or a wall with it as well. 

1. Not quite ready to take the plunge and get that pet fish? Create this Mini Mason Jar Aquarium with your kiddos and give them the faux version. 

1. Add something magical with this DIY Bubble Chandelier from Martha Stewart. You could do this with all clear balls or mix it up with tones of greens and blues. This may be something you hang out of reach or only do for an older child. 

With a few made with love accents, you can give your child an ocean themed bedroom that will be unique from any other. If you’ve created any of your own Under the Sea décor, we’d love to see it! Feel free to email it to us at info@mywonderfulwalls.com or post a comment telling us about what you did.

How to Embrace Play as an Adult 1

 

As children, we’re encouraged to play games, use our imagination and have fun. We learn through play from a very early age. But once we are adults, society puts less of an emphasis on the notion of play and for some the idea of play is saved exclusively for competitive sports. In his book “Play”, author and psychiatrist Stuart Brown, MD, talks about how play is like oxygen and says ".…it’s all around us, yet goes mostly unnoticed or unappreciated until it is missing.” Play is vital for problem solving, creativity and relationships. But with all of the time we dedicate to family, our jobs and other responsibilities, it’s a challenge to find time for play.

Unleash Your Inner Child

How can we incorporate play into our adult lives? One way of course is to spend time playing with our children. But as our kids grow up or for those who don’t have children, what to do? Maybe it’s time you thought of play in a different way. Unless you're a frequent attendee of Burning Man, you're going to have to get creative. Play can mean anything from reading aloud from a funny book to a friend and sharing a good laugh or just being silly in the moment. Surrounding yourself with fun loving, playful people is a great way to encourage play in your own life.

The article, The Importance of Play for Adults on First Things First asks the reader to imagine they are walking down a city street and from around the corner, they hear laughter and hollering and assume it’s children playing. Then imagine the surprise to discover it is a group of adults playing some type of blindfolded dodge ball, clearly having a great time. It goes on to say, “Believe it or not, the adults who were seen playing blindfolded were actually working.  This playfulness was part of a work activity.  When finished, almost without exception, each person commented on how good it felt to play and how energized they felt.  When they sat down to actually work on a project, many commented that they could feel the high level of energy in the room.”
 

Adult Game Night

So playing in the workplace can increase productivity and job satisfaction. Then what other ways can we encourage play in our day to day grown-up lives? How about remembering our love of certain board games or card games in our younger years and bringing them front and center by hosting a game night? Instead of watching a movie or game on television, bring your friends and family together with a little healthy competition. A quick search of Pinterest and you can find all sorts of ideas for hosting a game night. Everything from fun party décor, like a printable DIY Scrabble banner, to game night snacks, like Individual Seven Layer Dip Cups can be found to help you pull off a night to remember.

Playful Wall Decals

Another way to show off your playful side is by adding some My Wonderful Walls wall décor to your home or office. We have a great collection of playful wall stickers for grown up spaces and of course, plenty for the kids too! How about a futuristic decal like Merlin’s Playground with art from artist Lyle Hatch? Or you could try a Minecraft inspired decal by French artist Florent Bodart, Craft with Care (pictured below). Say Go, a collage art wall sticker by Hollie Chastain would make a great statement in your living room or office, too! So many choices!

 

However you decide to embrace your playful side, you really can’t go wrong. Laughter, community and spirited communication are all tools to enhance your day to day life. So get out there and play!