Artwork on the Walls!

Hey all! I've finally gotten to putting up some artwork in a few of our rooms. I really feel like a room is "done" once I get some art up. I can't say that I won't get the itch to change a tiny something here and there, but it does add a nice finishing touch to the room. I can say that after two months of living in the new house I've put art up in three rooms. Oops. Boy, can that be correct? Well in my defense I am trying to redo the room before I put the art up. :-) 

I'll include a few things I like to think about when deciding what art to put in the wall. You can call these tips I guess. 1) Only put up art you love! This seems like a no brainer, but I think sometimes in an effort to fill a space we fall prey to bad art. 2) If you don't love the art, try it in a different spot. Sometimes it is just the lighting or the other colors that surround it. 3) Don't be afraid to mix and match different types of art styles, colors and textures if it makes you happy. 4) Pick up art from your travels and you'll have a really great memory of a trip!

This is in the master bedroom. I found the framed art at a garage sale last month. I've had the metal stars forever. I got them at an antique store in Duluth, MN on a trip with my mom when I was 17. I traveled there for a band festival that I participated in during my junior year of high school. I loved them then, and I still love them!

The night stand is one I just recently refinished for Joe. You can read about it here. The Chinese scroll was a thank you gift from a friend who visited me from China when I lived in Thailand. It reads "I am the Vine, you are the branches." 

This is one of my favorites. This was painted by an elephant. Yes, an elephant. I got it when I lived in Thailand. If you look closely you can see a photograph within the frame. It is a picture of Ruby, the elephant, doing this very painting at the Chiang Dao Elephant Preserve. 

This little painting came from my visit to Pearl Market in Beijing. 

Lest you think that I am ignoring Joe, I have a lot more artwork downstairs to put up once I get that area painted. It includes a number of pieces that I've gotten with Joe, including a few prints from our friend we recently got on out trip to California.  Stay tuned for future art updates!