Wall Art on Shine

carolyn q & a | bedtime for two

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Happy Hour Mom has the distinct pleasure of showcasing the wise words of

DIY: A Fab Photo Wall

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I love this instant-art idea, used in one of the Superior Deluxe Rooms at the Portland Ace Hotel. It also seems like it's begging to be DIYed.

You can re-create this look by measuring your wall, and then selecting white matting for each photo, and mounting the matted photos along your wall. Or, you can simply use a découpaging technique to fasten the photos to your wall directly.

Speak for yourself: Would you hang a portrait of your pet?

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In the age of pet clothes and $330-mechanical litter box monitors, dog spas and canine face lifts, one has to wonder if the "man's best friend" of olden times would even recognize his modern counterpart. Would he feel slighted (or relieved) that he never received such pampering? Has the relationship between man and pup changed? Is this anthropomorphism run amok? This all brings me to another issue that has come up in our indulgent, post-Paris Hilton age: The proliferation of pet portraitists.

Personalized modern art masterpieces by your kids

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We love this idea for wall art that is 1) good looking. 2) personal. And 3) totally doable by real, actual children--even toddlers.

Step One: Give your child a pre-stretched canvas and one shade of acrylic paint (both are readily available at any craft or art supply store). Pour out some paint onto a paper plate and let your child go for it. He or she can finger paint the canvas until it's completely covered. (No doubt your child will be at least partially covered as well.)