Thrifty Dining Room Update

Our new apartment is awesome.  It has lots of vintage charm, beautiful architectural details, and it's spacious (and yes, the dining room even came with that awesome chandelier!).  We are loving finding the perfect spots for all of our furniture and art, but still have a few areas that are looking a little sparse.  On a med school student's budget, we've had to resort to Ikea, thriftiness, and lots of DIY-ing to get our place looking the way we want it.

This weekend, we gave our dining room a little makeover with some inexpensive DIY wall art. The problem with our dining room is that it's huge with lots of wall space.  We hung a large mirror at one end of the room, but still had a huge expanse of wall space that needed something (or some things) big.  We have some large pieces of art, but already hung them elsewhere in our apartment.  

We didn't want to spend money on more art or frames, so we tried this simple DIY that we found on Little Green Notebook: Huge prints for only $4.  Jenny Komenda has amazing ideas, and I love her style!  I was so excited to finally have the chance to try one of her projects.

How to make it happen:

1. Find some photos.  
2. Make them black and white.  
3. Save them on a flash drive and print them as large format architectural prints at FedEx Kinkos (around $4 each).  (You can call or check out the website before you go for info on sizing and how to save your files.  We saved them as grayscale images and converted them to PDFs.) 
4. Buy some large pieces of foam core. (We found huge pieces at Dollar Tree.)
5. You will probably need to cut the foam core to the size of your images.  Our photos ended up being 20"x26" and the foam core was 20"x28."  Use an exacto knife and a straight edge. 
6. You can paint the sides of the foam core first (I painted ours peach).  
7. After we cut the board and painted the sides, we trimmed the white borders off the photos (the easiest thing to do is to trim them using the large paper cutters at Kinkos after you have your photos printed).
8. Use double stick tape to mount your photos to the foam core.  So easy.  
9. Use 3M sticky velcro picture hangers to attach the foam core mounted photos to the wall.  

This was seriously so cheap and so easy! The entire project cost around $30, and we love the way that it brought some life to our dining room!

We have so many amazing photos from our adventures in the Caribbean over the past few years, and we were so excited to find a great way to put some of them on display.  I am pretty proud of the fact that we took all of these photos ourselves! 

1. Kaieteur Falls, Guyana, South America
2. Valley of Desolation, Dominica, West Indies
3. Snake Steps, Dominica, West Indies
4. Aba Wavine, Dominica, West Indies

*Advice for the Kinko's printing part:  

Print one image first to make sure it looks good. The photos came out really dark and streaky the first time (I think the printer needed new ink?). The guy who was helping me was really nice and lightened the photos and printed them on the extra large paper, which got rid of the streaks on the edges. I think he was supposed to charge me $7/each for the larger paper, but he was nice and didn't). Asking the guy if he could lighten the images and get rid of the streaks made such a difference, so definitely print one copy first to see what you think, and ask if they can help you make any adjustments if you aren't happy with the first print. This made all the difference! 

Also, these prints are not the highest quality and the paper is thin copy paper (not photo paper), but it is a great option if you want something inexpensive and dramatic. All this being said, we really do love how they turned out!

Font used: Amatic | Typekeys 
Arrow Photoshop Brushes from Creature Comforts
Inspiration for this project from Little Green Notebook

Images by Clare Wilkinson for C Squared W

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Art to Inspiration: Smita Jacob

I was so excited to see that the artwork chosen for Art to Inspiration this month was one of Smita Jacob's photographs.  She is so talented and has some amazing photos on her blog, Hogger & Co. Her travel photos are my favorite!  I love this photograph of Smita's, Healing Yoga with Aarti, that was chosen for the project this month:

For a while now I have been wanting to create my own art based on the Art to Inspiration piece of the month, but never actually got around to it.  So this month I made it happen, even though I may have waited until yesterday to start it...  

The strength and weight of the shapes in Smita's photograph really stood out to me, so I focused on those while creating my little mixed media collage. I don't feel like it's quite a finished piece yet, but it's a start, and at least it made me get out my art supplies and spend some time creating.

Interested in Art to Inspiration? Learn more about the monthly project, sign up, and join us!

Past Art to Inspiration posts: April :: May :: June

Dirty Thirty

I had no idea people called thirtieth birthdays that until my big day.  I received lots of happy dirty thirty wishes on Friday and they made me laugh. 

My thirtieth birthday, celebrated here on the island, was the best! We're talking two days jam packed with adventures, swimming, delicious food, an amazing cake, henna... I can't wait to tell you all about it, but for now, some photos:

Thank you to all of my wonderful friends and family, on and off the island, for making my thirtieth birthday such a special day.  I have never felt so loved! 

Resources
Font: Cedarville Cursive
Photo Layout from Pugly Pixel 

Photos courtesy of Kristen Morgans.
Other photos by Clare Wilkinson for C Squared W.

5 Favorite Things: Island Life

We moved to the Caribbean nearly two years ago so that my husband could attend medical school here.  Currently, we are lucky enough to live on the beautiful nature isle of Dominica {pronounced dom-in-eeka} where everyday is an adventure.

Here are my five favorite things about island life:

1. The tight-knit community.  Dominica is a small island, measuring about 290 square miles with a total population of about 71,000.  I volunteer at several local schools and community organizations, and I love the small community here.  On any given day, I see a handful of friends, neighbors, students, and other familiar faces, and this is one of my favorite things about the island.  I love knowing the cashiers at the grocery store, and then seeing them on the weekends when I go to town or spend an afternoon at the beach.  These familiar, smiling faces are what make Dominica feel like home.

2.  We have fresh fruit here everywhere, all the time.  These papayas are from my neighbor's tree across the street.  Our garden is laden with grapefruit, star fruit, guava, passion fruit, banana, and plantain trees.  During mango and avocado {locally called pear} season, my husband and I collect fruits that have fallen off nearby trees, or climb a tree in our yard or up the street for some fresh fruit.  You can buy all of these treats at the store or the market, as well, but you can't ignore the fresh goodies straight from the tree, either! {Also, the fruits and veggies here are abnormally large.  Sometimes I yell at them...}

3.  Dominica boasts 365 rivers, one for every day of the year.  There is no better way to spend a hot summer day in Dominica than by hiking in the rainforest to one of the island's many rivers and waterfalls for a refreshing swim.  Some of my favorites are Bense Pool {pictured above} and the Seven Waterfalls Hike. 

4.  Island Hopping by plane or ferry to one of many nearby islands makes for an easy adventure and an exotic vacation.  Ferries travel from Dominica to nearby islands like St. Lucia, Guadaloupe, and Martinique on a daily basis.  It's also easy to hop a quick plane to other nearby islands like St. Maarten, Barbados, or St. Vincent {above}.

5.  The laid back, island lifestyle and attitude is one of my favorite things about Dominica.  This photo of happy, carefree Rastafarian dancing on the beach at sunset sums this up perfectly.  Life here is simple.  People here are happy and they live with much, much less.  This is one of the greatest lessons that we have learned while living here, and I hope that we continue to appreciate this simple lifestyle even after we return to the U.S.

So there you have it, my five favorite things about life in Dominica.  

Font used:
Special Elite

Photos by Clare Wilkinson for C Squared W.

Rome in Color

I have a thing for bright colors. I love them; I always have and I always will! 

As I was looking through my photos from our trip to Rome, I couldn't help but notice how vibrant so many of my photos were.  My eye is always drawn to color, and Rome is the perfect place to take a million-and-one photos, full of color and texture.  

Aren't they fun?!?  Enjoy your Friday and have a vibrant weekend! 

Today I'm having a virtual coffee date with Louise and some other fun friends.  Check out our favorite coffee mugs {mine is very bright, surprise, surprise!}.

Favorite Travel Shoes

Such a huge portion of our recent trip to Italy was spent walking around and exploring, so wearing comfortable shoes was crucial.  Check out the shoes that we walked miles and miles in...

Our Travel Shoe Picks:

1. Canvas Classic TOMS.  A pair of classics in black {perfect for Europe} or something a little more fun like a red pair {if you're feeling bold}, are perfect for walking around the city.

2. Converse One Star Slip-ons.  I'm a huge fan of Converse's line for Target.  A pair of laceless slip-ons is perfect with jeans or a skirt and tights. Margaret and I shared my navy pair all week. Bonus: Converse are really popular in Europe, so you won't look like a tourist!

3. Coach Isabelle Signature Drivers.  My mom wore these daily, they are so stylish and comfortable!  After breaking them in, they were the perfect shoes for an Italian adventure! 

What are your favorite shoes for lots of walking + travel?

***Thank you, Smita, for the great post idea!

Backpacking Essentials

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be holding the fort down here on C Squared W today! To be completely honest, I have a little travel envy. Clare's trip seems like so much fun and when she asked me to do a travel related post I was honored and excited. I have done a good deal of traveling for school, my job and for fun. Time to time, I like to share my experiences backpacking through different parts of the world on my blog, and so today I thought I'd do the same here.

Today I'm going to share my five essentials for a backpacking trip. I don't mean a small carry on tote, but a full on backpack adventure! I may come off as someone who is high maintenance, but most people don't know that I often crave a bit of adventure. I've had some great experiences and a lot of stories, but I'll share those some other time. 

First, liquid bandages are a must! I can't stress this enough. When you're constantly walking you are prone to blisters. Even places like Europe, you're prone to infections, so apply this solution to heal, treat and sanitize any wound. 

Second. Ever stay in a beautiful hostel? My favorite hostels are in Spain owned by the Oasis Backpackers. They have them in different cities of Spain and Portugal. Though they are clean, the whole sleeping on a mattress with youthful backpackers rolling through kind of stresses me out. My solution are silk sleep sheets. They are thin and weightless and fit the purpose! 

Third. Most people like to take some kind of electronic device with them to communicate with friends and family back home. This is something I like to do also. My parents would throw a fit if I didn't. Instead of taking a laptop, I usually opt to take a tablet. Obviously, the best would be the iPad. You can get wifi at almost any local cafe these days, so easy to store photos, document your trip and connect with people back home! 

Fourth. My backpack gained the most weight from bottles of liquid [body wash, shampoo and conditioner]. I would have to sacrifice some important things [like shoes!] just to fit all three and meet weight requirements. I was told, from an Australian friend I met in Granada, that Olive Oil soap is the best for backpackers. So I tried it, and it's true. I take a bar of pure olive oil soap and I can use it on my body, hair and clothes!

Finally, when you're taking day trips without your life-of-a-backpack with you, carry a day bag. It can range from a backpack or a small tote. Be sure, however to hold onto all your important documents [passport!] and valuables [camera, laptops, etc.]! 

Just a tip for you newcomers to the backpacking world, make sure your backpack is 12kg [about 26 pounds] or less for the most comfort and to prevent injury. If you're interested in reading more about my travel experiences, visit my blog to read about camping in the dessert, a recipe from Syria, and my top travel essentials for everyone! 

Well, there you have it. My five essentials for the thrill-seeking backpackers! Thanks Clare for having me over, and thank you all for stopping by. I hope to see you soon and perhaps you can come visit me over at chevrons & éclairs!

Make sure you check out Supal's beautiful blog, Chevrons & Éclairs for more fun posts, inspiration, and some delicious recipes.  She also has some gorgeous party ideas and is the mastermind behind Art to Inspiration.  Basically, Supal does it all, and she does it all really well! 

Art to Inspiration: Pakayla Rae Biehn

This is my first time participating in an exciting project called Art to Inspiration - I am so excited to be a part of it! This month's inspiring piece is 2 years, 264 days and this morning by Pakayla Rae Biehn.

{via}

What immediately struck me about this intriguing painting was the contrast between the pinky peaches and the greens in the painting and how beautiful the colors are.  The double-exposed quality of the painting gives it such a light, ethereal feeling.  This, along with the colors, instantly reminded me of Dominica.  Here, everything is saturated with color, and greens, pinks, and peaches are constantly in sight.  I took some photos and made a collage of Dominica inspired by Biehn's painting.

There you have it.  A little glimpse of Dominica through my own photos, inspired by Pakayla Rae Biehn's gorgeous painting.

About Art to Inspiration:

Art to Inspiration is a collaborative project organized to bring exposure to the art community around the world.  We feature any medium of art from young artists and design posts to share how we have been inspired by the piece.

If you would like to join the Art to Inspiration collaboration hosted by Chevrons & Eclairs you can sign up here.

Week in Photos

After living in Dominica for 15 months, there are so many things that initially shocked me, made laugh, or kept me in constant awe... things that I am now so accustomed to that I don't even think twice about anymore.  Lately, I've been making an extra effort to document these things, to share with others and to just have to remember once our time here is up.  

Here are some bits of the week, in photo form:

Our street, a portion of a long, winding road called Banana Trail.  

{We live in the peachy buildings up the hill.}

Me with insane hair {post workout}, tackling some dishes.  I'm pretty sure that this isn't what people mean when they say "embrace messy hair."  {In addition to insanely messy hair I also embrace a messy kitchen!}

A small pineapple field.  I love these, I think they are so cool!

Berry green tea with honey.  Lately, I haven't been able to get enough of this!

Island eggs.  We buy them from a shack and they come in a plastic bag.

Hot springs!  You can take a mudbath in this one...

Or walk down the hill and take a bath here in the warm water that flows out of the bamboo pipes.  How cool is this?!?

Snail mail!  There really isn't anything quite as exciting as receiving mail.  Yesterday, we received two awesome save the dates from dear friends and family, and a letter and collaborative art project from one of my besties from college.  Made. Our. Day! 

Papaya trees across the street.  Lesley, this is for you... come visit and I'll feed you all the papaya you can eat! 

How was your week?

Sunset Sunday

You know, just a little sunset, enjoyed from our porch.