Home Décor

- - - | written by Jason on 8/15/2021 | - - -

Why You Should Definitely Give Your Home a Name

Does your home have a name?There are so many things to love about Mexico, from the culture to the bright colors and the delicious food. We've twice been there as a family (Tulum and Cabo) and were delighted to discover that many of the homes had signs denoting their name.It's a charming little detail we like very much, and so when we bought our new home, we decided it needed a name, too. We settled on Casa de Whimsy. And just as when you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk, if you give your house a name, you're going to need a sign to go with it.Ours hangs …

- - - | written by Jason on 4/8/2014 | - - -

Dude Transforms Deck Into Pirate Ship

In January, I did a program for a big healthcare company and afterwards I met a guy named Randy who said he had a deck in his backyard that looked like a pirate ship. Naturally, my curiosity was stoked. Did it come with the house? Was it seaworthy? Was talking like a pirate required for entry? Happily for all of us, I was able to get the full story -- plus pictures! Randy and his wife bought the house in 1999 and have been throwing summer theme parties ever since. (The first one was a Hawaiian style luau, complete with pork roasts wrapped in banana leaves, placed on really hot rocks, …

- - - | written by Kim on 1/17/2013 | - - -

A Post About The Winter Blues (and Ben’s Favorite Ornaments)

For the last week I have felt this unsaid pressure to take down the Christmas tree. It's January 15th, we "should probably" get it all put away. (Hmm, is this a "rule that doesn't exist"?) Here's the dealio... when the tree comes down, I'm afraid that the reality of January floods the house. It's cold. Spring is a LONG ways away. Like, not even in sight. January has the potential to be quite BLAH without the twinkling lights on our beautiful tree. But if I think about it even more honestly, the real reason is not the winter blues. It's this... …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/15/2013 | - - -

Removable Whimsy for Your Walls

Kim and I are suckers for whimsy. Especially when it comes to home decor. No, seriously. It's true. So it should come as no surprise that we are in love with Blik, a company that makes removable wall decals. It's the coolest way to add a dash of artistic whimsy to a room without having to possess any artistic ability. Wallpaper wishes it could be changed this easily. Talk about an easy way to transform your home or office into an Adultitis Hospital! Here are some of our favorites: …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/2/2013 | - - -

Messages in a Bottle: Make Your Own Memory Jar

At the end of every year, Kim and I sit down and review the year that was. We talk about what went well, what didn't go well, and reminisce about the adventures we had and the things we accomplished. The hardest part is remembering it all! We review our calendar and archived to-do lists, and even though I'm amazed at how much you can accomplish in a year, I always feel like we're missing stuff. Which is what makes this idea pure genius. Find a neat jar and put it in your kitchen with a pen and a stack of tiny paper nearby. Throughout the year, write down any cool adventures, funny …

- - - | written by Jason on 12/11/2012 | - - -

Wishlist Christmas Ornament

Star Wars stuff was always in the conversation when it came to what I wished for from Santa, but I remember one year when I had Go-Bots listed as the top of my list. (He delivered, big time.) I'd love to know what I was pining for those other years. This ornament idea is a pretty cool way to record the visions that kept your kids on their best behavior through the Decembers of Christmas Past. You can buy one here, but I'm pretty sure you crafty types could figure out a way to make your own! …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/11/2012 | - - -

Turn Your Game Boards Into Works of Art

I like this idea a lot. Beckie of Infarrantly Creative was not a big fan of board game boxes, so she did something about it. She framed the colorful game boards and turned them into functional art. …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/3/2012 | - - -

DIY Kickball Planter

So what happens when your trusty kickball -- *sniff sniff* -- gets a hole in it? Turn it into a planter, of course! Places where this would be cool: a gym teacher's office, a principal's office, a sports medicine or therapist's office, and pretty much any other office in the world (except the Adultitis-ridden ones). Here's instructions on how to make your own. …

- - - | written by Jason on 4/5/2012 | - - -

We Decorated Our Kitchen with Cereal

I've been playing with a neat macro lens borrowed from my buddy Judson, doing a series of up-close photos of cereal (my secret love). Last weekend, I painted our kitchen -- the barrage of beige was starting to get to me -- and decided the cereal photos would serve as a cool accent for our kitchen. We were not disappointed. …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/1/2011 | - - -

Lucy Lives in an Art Gallery

This summer is one of big transitions in our household. With the new baby coming in December and a slight reprieve from a busy speaking schedule, we've been working like mad to get a lot of projects checked off the holy to-do list. One of the big steps was transitioning Lucy to a "big girl bed" in her new "big girl room." (Next up, potty training -- heaven help us!) This required purchasing a "big girl mattress" and some redecorating. It went much more smoothly than I anticipated, and the items we'd collected over the last year or so really tied together well. Among the highlights is the …