Have you seen succulent gardens popping up all over the place lately? Yeah, me too. And I wanted one. I don’t know if you’ve heard of this thing called an "indoor plant black thumb", but that’s my deal. I can do outdoor gardens: rain and a few supplemental runs of the sprinkler. But indoor plants? Nope. Poor things are doomed the second they step in the door.

The Home Depot holds monthly Do-It-Herself workshops, just like their popular kids and do-it-yourself workshops. I attended one last Thursday on succulent gardening and learned a lot more than I expected to! My new pal, Tim from the gardening center, talked about what identifies a succulent, why they are built they way they are, how they can be beneficial, but the biggest thing I took away was this:

the worst thing you can do to a succulent is over water it!

It depends on the plant but you will want to let your succulents completely dry out before moistening the water. Some only require an eyedropper full of water. Now I know why our poor aloe vera plant died, I was practically drowning it.

After taking notes at the workshop, Tim helped me gather the supplies I needed to build my own succulent garden: a pot that’s not too deep, this special succulent soil mix, and plants.

I always thought you needed rocks for the bottom, but he said no, the soil will fill in those rocks over time. Just make sure your pot has proper drainage.

Before painting your pot, be sure to seal it good. Even if you’re not keeping it outside, you don’t moisture from the dirt seeping into the pot. I used Thompson’s Water Seal spray.

To create a color blocked look, tape your pot and paint. I used a sample size of Behr Festive Green, it’s the perfect emerald color.

But to tell you the truth, if you have a steady hand you don’t even need the tape. After the emerald dried, I painted the top with copper craft paint and a steady hand. Paint the inside lip, let dry, and then plant.

When planting a container garden you want three things: a thriller, a filler, and a spiller. The same applies to a succulent garden!

The thriller adds height or drama, the filler is a bit more wide and fills things out, and the spiller is a plant that has movement and will eventually spill out of the piece. I’ve labeled mine in the picture below.

Look for plants with fun texture, contrasting colors, and odd numbers tend to look better. But it’s your garden, do what you want and have fun!

For now this lovely plant pot is sitting on a side table. But after working with succulents and seeing how easy they are, I have a handful of spots that need some. ;)

You can see the full list of Home Depot’s upcoming workshops here. Their next Do-It-Herself workshop is on building an adirondack chair!

Have you ever planted succulents?

This post is brought to you by The Home Depot, click here to learn more.

The post Color Blocked Succulent Pot appeared first on white house black shutters.

I used to love shopping. But once I had kids, it became a chore.

Before you could browse, feel, wander. It was magical. Now, you’re on a mission to get out as quickly as possible without forgetting something, cause then you’d have to go back. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit here, but shopping is definitely something I try to avoid unless I am by myself.

Enter Walmart’s Spark Studio where you can browse and shop what actual people are pinning from their site.

With Spark Studio, you can browse by color, brand (Better Homes and Gardens anyone?), recent or popular pins, or the categories below. Each picture shows the number of times the item has been pinned! It’s not just what they want you to buy, it’s a curated selection of their best items. Some so cute, I would have never thought they came from Walmart.

Here are some of my favorites from each category:

Inspirations

top pinned items by Walmart shoppers on Pinterest

For the home

furniture, décor, and other home solutions from Walmart fans (my favorite section)

Fashion and Beauty

I wouldn’t think to look at this area, but there were some great beauty must-haves, cute clothes, and even swimsuits!

Babies

finding good baby stuff that works is tough, search the top picks from Pinterest moms

Pets

everything you will need for your pet. We don’t have one, but I was swooning over these chicken coops!

Play Time

outdoor fun, summer favorites, camping items, and even huge mansion playhouses that you want to move into.

Combine Spark Studio with Walmart’s Site-to-Store shipping option, and shopping becomes fun again. You can check out the items I’ve found and curated on my Pinterest page, or head straight to Spark Studio to browse for yourself!

No driving, sippy cup filling, or taking an hour to leave necessary. ;)

What do you think of Spark Studio?

Disclosure: This article is sponsored by Walmart Labs. I only share products and items that I love and that I think you’ll be interested in. All opinions are my own.

The post Shopping Inspired by Pinterest with Spark Studio appeared first on white house black shutters.

I’ve seen many discussions on how social media can be a vice, but I was thinking today about how social media has made me a better person. More specifically, a better mom. Instead of a cute project or idea for Mother’s Day (I’ve got nothing, sorry folks), I’m going to tell you why you’re a better mom. Happy Mother’s Day!

1.) You have to get them dressed.

If there’s a chance we’re doing something fun I don’t want to commit the ultimate social media faux pas and have them in pjs, or worse, yesterday’s clothes. Same goes with bathing.

2.) You can’t just eat junk.

I like to make food. And I like to post about it if it tastes good (case in point, the other day’s healthy-but-flipping amazing mac n cheese). But sometimes a drive thru is tempting. Social media helps keep me accountable with eating and cooking. I want to show you I’m cooking, not how I went through a drive through. Nor is it good for me to post about Starbucks a few times in a day. Ahem. ;)

3.) You have to do fun stuff.

I can’t just post pictures of how we sat around and stared at walls all day. So we go to the park, we paint, make messes, and little people help me with chores. Or even go to the local gas station to watch the inflatable "wiggly buzzing bee". We still do sit around and stare at walls, but now we do it a lot less.

4.) You have a cuter house.

Crayons? Oh that’s so 1921. Crayons in a vintage cookie jar? Sure. Aaaaand, posted.

5.) You keep your house clean.

I can’t take pictures of our house or us in it if it’s a pig pen. I can and I do sometimes to keep it real (with the #reallifestilllife hashtag). Legos on the floor can be cute, week old dishes? Not so much. *Gets up and heads to the kitchen…*

6.) You get projects done.

There is something about being able to post a sneak peek that makes me want to finish a project. Instead of letting it take 5 months.

7.) You save more money.

Or save it going broke? This is debatable, haha. I don’t want to post something and get asked "where?! how much!?" and have to choke out a high price. But I DO love posting and telling you how I scored. Social media helps keep spending in check. Same goes for cutting down on Target trips. "You’re at Target again?!" uhhh…. yeah? you aren’t? ;)

I also take pictures of stuff and post it instead of buying it. Helps me feel the thrill of the find and like I kinda took it home with me. Is that weird? A favorite garage sale from this weekend, heads cropped to protect people I don’t know.

8.) You interact with people.

Constant interaction with people is awesome especially when you’re a mom. I have lots of imaginary friends on the computer that I can talk to, even if I don’t see real life people as often as I’d like. I love connecting and talking so this is a huge bonus. I feel like I am more closely connected with total strangers and the friends and family that I wish I could see every day. Start up more conversations, like pictures, and then comment on them. Tell people what you REALLY think and how awesome you think that _____ actually is. Build relationships.

9.) You can learn from other moms.

You can learn how to act, or how not to act. See a negative person? Strive not to act like that. See an awesomely creative mom who looks like she’s having a blast and super positive? Instead of hating her, learn from her. Be her friend.

10.) You are better at documenting life.

This is the reason I wanted instagram and an iPhone. I take SO many pictures of our everyday life and of the kids when I have my camera handy at any given second. I can document it and look back on it and smile. I can get back to printing out pictures because I have an app that makes it easy to pick them up while out running errands. I’m sad to say that many of our SD cards are full of project and house pictures and not of the kids. My phone and phone folders? FULL of them.

Okay so maybe having this photo doesn’t make me a good mom. But it sure will be funny to bug Adam when he’s older about how he acted like he died while I gave him a hair cut.

11.) You look at life with a different eye.

When you’re looking for it, you’ll find the beauty in everyday life. Textures, an old door knob, the look in your kid’s eye when he accomplished something, the way the sun hits your swing set in the afternoon. The little things that make you want to stop being a grump and drink life as fast as you can.

12.) You get into the pictures more.

Take pictures of yourself too. Get in there with the kids. Stop worrying about what you look like. Or that you feel gross. You’ll be so happy that you did. I love that the Camera+ app has a built in timer, makes it easier to get into the picture.

(for this picture, I propped my phone on the van bumper and set the timer)

13.) You’re a more positive person.

I am an optimist by nature, but I’ve always struggled a bit with it. I get down, and when I get down I focus on being down. I can’t do that when I have friends (you guys) to talk to daily, I can’t be "that person". I can (and do) embrace the occasional crabbiness, and it does help to talk it out. But social media helps me look at the joy in things a little bit more easily.

How does social media make you a better mom? A better person?

The post You’re a Better Mom Because of Social Media appeared first on white house black shutters.

I’m kinda really bummed that the only picture I have of this amazingly delicious mac and cheese is a grainy cell phone picture. But when a dish makes you want to face plant into a bowl and go nuts, you don’t wait to post it.

Like many people, I love Mac & Cheese, always have. When I discovered just how easy it was to make it homemade instead of using the box, my life was forever changed. I’ve tried new ingredient combos (hello bacon and beer), new cheeses, and loved ‘em all. Recently I have started looking for ways to squeeze as many veggies as I could into my favorite dish.

My kids love veggies. Depending on their mood (and which kid we’re talking about), they’d be more likely to pick up a carrot than dig into pizza. But I love the idea of hidden veggies for me. They make the dish more savory and hearty, and you don’t feel so bad devouring a dish full of carbs when you know there are just as many vegetables in it. Or maybe that’s just me.

Yep, the sneaky veggies are for me and not my kids. ;)

This recipe tasted BETTER than any other mac and cheese I’ve had. It had half the cheese and a half a pound of pureed carrots. The carrots actually make it more cheesy looking, similar to the box kind.

And here’s the clincher:

no one knew there were carrots in it until I told them.

Have picky kids or husband or feel bad eating carbs? This recipe is for you.

We used organic Thomas the Tank Engine noodles from World Market, but I highly recommend using rice noodles to get this gluten free.

Need it to be dairy free? Use almond milk in place of milk, and goat milk cheddar in place of the cheese. Tastes just as good.

What’s your favorite way to eat Mac & Cheese?

The post Sneaky Carrot Mac and Cheese appeared first on white house black shutters.

I never drink enough water. Couple that with the fact that I’m either pregnant, nursing, or it’s summer, and even when I do drink a lot of water it’s still not enough!

Adding stuff to your water makes it taste better, and then you’re going to drink more. Make it cold and you might drink it even faster. Here are some of my favorite things to add to water, some favorite combinations, and even some reader suggestions. I’ll add more to the list as I hear of them or try them, right now there are more than 50!

At the bottom of the list there are also tips to get yourself to drink more water.

Things to Put in Your Water:

1.) lime

2.) lemon

3.) squeezed lime juice – I use a press like this one

4.) squeezed lemon juice – I use a press like this one

5.) orange

6.) cucumber slices

7.) mint leaves –wash them well

8.) basil leaves – wash them well

9.) stevia – natural sweetener, CHECK THE INGREDIENTS AND MAKE SURE IT IS PURE STEVIA! more on that here

10.) chia seeds – good source of omega 6′s, high alkaline food, SUPER good for you. Gives you energy, helps you stay full. Doesn’t taste like anything, soak for 5 minutes in cup before drinking.

11.) ice ;)

12.) coffee – cold brewing your coffee is very simple, here are my instructions. Here’s the short cut version.

13.) strawberries – sliced

14.) pineapple

15.) blueberries

16.) tea

17.) honey

18.) grated fresh ginger

Favorite Combos:

19.) lemon + stevia + water = lemonade

20.) lime + stevia + water = limeade

21.) mint + lime + stevia + water = mojito

I like any of the below combinations as is, or with a few drops of stevia to sweeten them up

22.) lemon + cucumber

23.) lemon + cucumber + basil

24.) lime + cucumber + basil

25.) lemon + stevia + chia = chia lemonade

26.) lime + stevia + chia = chia limeade

27.) cucumber + mint

28.) blueberry + mint

29.) strawberry + mint

30.) strawberry + basil

31.) strawberry + lime

32.) strawberry + lime + mint

33.) tea + honey

34.) tea + lemon + honey

35.) tea + ice + stevia + lemon

36.) cold brewed coffee + cream + ice cubes = iced coffee

37.) cold brewed coffee + cream + ice cubes + maple syrup = maple iced coffee

38.) cold brewed coffee + cream + ice cubes + flavored syrup = flavored iced coffee. Here’s a post on an Iced Quick Salted Caramel Mocha

Reader Suggestions:

39.) scotch

40.) gin

41.) vodka

*side note: HA! I love my readers. ;)

42.) lime + pomegranate

43.) apple slices + cinnamon sticks

44.) lavender + lime wedge

45.) grapefruit + basil

46.) lemon + pineapple + lime + sage

47. ) blood orange + pineapple + sage

48.) lime + savory

49.) lemon, lime, or orange slices frozen into cubes

50.) splash of cranberry juice

51.) ginger + cucumber + lemon – keep it in a pitcher and let the flavors steep!

52.) ginger + mint + cucumber + lemon – keep it in a pitcher and let the flavors steep!

Tips for Drinking More Water:

-drink it cold

-use a straw, I love these big straws from IKEA (1.99 for 100)! They’re good for smoothies too.

-drink it out of glass mason jars. I like that they have the amounts etched on the side so you know just how much you are drinking.

-measure it out and challenge yourself.

-make a check list or phone alerts to remind yourself to drink a glass

-tell yourself you’ll take a drink every time you do a certain activity

-have a chugging contest with your kids

Did I miss any tips?

What are your favorite things to put into water?

The post 50+ Ways to Make Water Taste Better appeared first on white house black shutters.

My favorite time of year is upon us and I couldn’t be more excited: garage sale season.
Last weekend I hit up two neighborhood sales back to back and scored huge!

A bunch of you have been asking for my tips, here some of my favorites to help YOU score big at garage sales:

1.) Make a list of what you are looking for.
It helps to be able to remember, you’ll know what type of houses to seek out, and you can share it with friends or family. Ask them to call you if they spot certain items for a good price, and they can send phone pictures.

2.) When making your list, look to the future.
Think birthday presents and Christmas presents for your kids, the next few sizes up, winter clothes, future kids. While you don’t want a ton of clutter accumulating, if you see a hard to find baby item for a steal and it is easy to store, get it! Make bins for your kids in the next sizes up. Know a family member who would rather receive a unique thrifted item rather than a store bought gift? Add them to your list.

3.) Go early or don’t bother.
I try to get to the neighborhood wide at least an hour before it starts, a house with something particular I’m looking for about a half hour before. I don’t knock on doors (don’t be that weirdo), but some sales may start early. I still “sailing” well into the afternoon and sure I still score. But if you are looking for big ticket items or steals, you will miss them if you stroll up at 10:30.

4.) Looking to bargain big time? Ignore the last rule.
People are hesitant to give huge discounts to their first customer. If low prices are more appealing than finding something particular, go later or on the second or even third day of a sale. Like a house you hit earlier? Go back for lower prices the next day. They’ll practically be giving you their stuff, I know I am ready to. ;)

5.) Seek out neighborhoods and houses that fit what you are looking for.
I have kids, so I stick to middle to high-income neighborhoods that have young kids and nice clothes and toys. Super wealthy neighborhoods are good for designer clothes for you or your spouse, collectibles, or expensive items, but their kids are mostly grown. Old neighborhoods will have an eclectic selection from antique treasures hiding in the garage to estate sales clearing out, to new families. Scout out your favorite neighborhoods and drive near them to find sales.

6.) Want to get a lot? Neighborhood wides are your friend.
This goes hand in hand with the last tip. I have my favorite subdivisions set in my Craigslist app alerts so it will let me know when they are getting ready to hold theirs. A lot of you ask how I score so big, well, if I am going I am going to GO! Last weekend I probably hit 30-50 houses. Not all of them were good. But when you hit that many, you are bound to find something.

7.) Be prepared.
For kids: books, small toys, a cooler of healthy snacks and simple sandwiches, a jug of water to refill sippy cups, a stroller, baby carrier, lollipops or something to bribe them if things get really cranky. Maybe bring a potty chair or cup.
For you: water, coffee, healthy snacks, tea, music, sunglasses, GPS, map, or phone with car charger.
Fast food will make you cranky, try to avoid having to stop.
Dress everyone in layers. Look like a well put together customer. Don’t be a sloppy, junky mess or in designer clothes asking half price on their stuff.

8.) Be a good person.
For me, this comes natural. I’m Italian and can talk to anyone. ;) But be nice, don’t trash their stuff, don’t be rude. Ask how they are, say hi, strike up a conversation. When you are having a sale, would you be more likely to give a discount to a nice mom with cute kids who genuinely cares about you, a stuck up jerk, or a grumpy frump who is a mess?
Be a good person, the type you would like to meet and chat with.

Want to see more of my finds? I got a lot of kids clothes, things I’ve been looking for, but not a ton of decor. That will be next weekend ;)

And now my favorite score that I DIDN’T buy but thought was the coolest couch ever. My family would think I was nuts if I got it. Mint condition, $50, swoon:

Do you garage sale? Which of my finds would you have also gotten? Which were your favorite?

The post My Top 8 Garage Sale Tips appeared first on white house black shutters.

Not only is it time for spring cleaning, but garage sale season is also here. I’m scoring deals but also buying a lot of used items, which means cleaning stains and doing more laundry.  We buy most of our kids’ clothes at garage sales or get them as hand-me-downs, and sometimes I’ll even buy clothes with stains on them knowing that I can get them out! My secret weapon? Shaklee’s Nature Bright.

We’ve been using Shaklee products in our home since Doug and I got married, almost 5 years now.

I honestly can’t see myself using any other products. They are easy to use, have saved us money, are natural (and safe for the kids to use/help), and actually clean everything well. Other natural products I’ve tried, I won’t name names ;), just don’t cut it when it comes to cleaning, they cost an arm and a leg, and their smells can be overwhelming. The Shaklee products are simple to order online, don’t require monthly minimum orders, and last for a while.

When my mother-in-law Sharon asked me to review the products for you, I wanted to tackle the dirtiest, nastiest thing we needed to clean:

the stroller.

(dun dun dun)

With three kids (and one on the way), we use our stroller daily. I bought it last year at a garage sale for a steal (Joovy Caboose for $20), but since then it’s gotten dirty.

Almost to the point where the kids don’t want to sit in it anymore. And then they exclaim really loudly just what they think the stains are from. Ahem. Check out that seat and arms. Guh-ross. Let me show you how to clean your stroller in under 15 minutes with minimal work or scrubbing.

How To Clean a Stroller:

Shaklee’s Nature Bright is a laundry booster, but you can use it on any and every stain. I haven’t been disappointed yet!

Using it is super simple too: 1 scoop + 16 oz of water, stir and apply directly to your stains.

Scrub the mixture onto the stroller. If a stain seems stubborn, let it sit for a bit, then go back to scrubbing it.

Halfway through, Ben came up and asked "can my help you clean?" and then it dawned on me. That’s the main reason I use Shaklee.

With other products I’d be nervous to let them touch, ingest, or inhale chemicals. With Shaklee, they can help me clean and play "car wash". :)

When you’re done scrubbing, get the hose out and spray the stroller down. Leave it in the sun to dry.

I could NOT believe how much brighter the stroller looked and that the stains were actually gone. Our stroller looked brand new, and it only took 15 minutes and minimal scrubbing.

want to win your own Shaklee Get Clean Starter Kit (a $125 value)?

You’ll get the Nature Bright, my other favorite cleaner Basic H, and all of the items below:

Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Good luck!

The giveaway ends May 8th, and is for U.S. residents 18 and older only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post How to Clean a Stroller (plus a giveaway) appeared first on white house black shutters.

I’m going to go ahead and make a bold statement: triangles are the new chevron. Meaning that they look good on anything, in any color, and I just can’t get enough of em.

I needed a new library bag. I couldn’t keep embarrassing my kids by showing up to story time with a broken down plastic grocery bag and looking like a hot mess. I took a simple tote and used Handmade Charlotte stencils to add some style.

Want to make your own?

Supplies needed:

a bag // stencils // craft paint // foam pouncers // painter’s tape // cardboard or paper bag to insert and protect from bleeding

How to make it:

Tape off the edges of the bag with painter’s tape so you have a crisp, clean line. It also helps to secure the bag to your surface.

Make a plan and get the colors you want ready to go. For the emerald color, I mixed the lime green and turquoise.

Dip into the paint, and blot the brush on the cardboard, then onto your bag.

tip: don’t use a ton of paint! Less is more: otherwise the paint can bleed and your bag can get sloppy.

Blot and blot and blot some more until your stencil is filled out. I also liked adding painters tape near the edge of the stencil so that I wouldn’t mess up.

I liked all the white space, but it needed more color! I added the turquoise and lime green in to the mix.

and I’m kinda sorta in love with the results:

The Handmade Charlotte stencils are starting to roll out to select JoAnn craft stores this spring. Can’t find them at yours? They’re also available on Joann.com.

I’m always finding (and pinning) project inspiration from Plaid Crafts. Click to follow them on facebook, pinterest, and twitter.

What pattern or shape are you in love with lately?

I wrote this post as part of a sponsored campaign with Plaid and The Blueprint Social. All opinions in this post are my own.

The post Color Blocked Triangle Tote Bag appeared first on white house black shutters.

Many of my childhood memories are of going to the park with my mom. We would travel to parks in other towns and have a picnic lunch, bring our bikes and make a parade there, get ice cream, or go to a park near a pond and feed the fish. We’d drive across town and visit “the train park”, or to the “pirate ship park”, or even just a short walk to our neighborhood park with the really, really big slide. She found a way to get us out of the house and make a simple thing so much more special.

I’m so proud of my mom. This past fall and winter she went through double knee replacements, but despite that, has been working hard to get back to feeling good. She is truly an inspiration to me. Now that she is able to walk without as much pain for the first time in almost 10 years, we have been going to the park for walks when we get together.

I’ve been wanting to treat my mom to a girls’ day out, and created a special picnic at the park.

We love the grocery section at our World Market, so we went there for picnic essentials. I love that their prices are similar to what you’d find in the grocery store, but their selection is anything but normal! We were greeted with happy and colorful displays, it was like spring in a store.

We picked up picnic perfect snacks: a six pack of sparkling lemonade, kettle corn, crackers, cheese wedges, and of course, lobster pate. Can’t have a picnic without it! ;)

(That’s a joke. This was our first time trying it.)

The World Market brand kettle corn was SO good! We used this galvanized bucket to hold it, but now can use it for storage, parties, or in décor.

The picnic blanket plates, bowls, charger, and woven mat add a nice touch, but my favorite were the .99 spreading knives. I don’t like wimpy spreaders touching my cheese, these were BIG.

Who brings a bottle opener to the park?! I did. And I’m not ashamed to admit it. This key bottle opener (1.99!) goes right on my keychain.

And the picnic blanket was the perfect tablecloth. It is big, rolls up, and can be washed easily.

You know, for the times when you’re being a ham for the camera and accidentally spill lemonade all over. ;)

You can treat your amazing mom to a shopping trip at World Market for jewelry or other Mother’s Day gifts, or you can enter to win the My Amazing Mom Sweepstakes!

Facebook fans can nominate their mother for a chance to win a $5,000 World Market gift card. Fans will upload a photo of their mother and tell us what makes her special. Once the photo and essay is complete, Facebook fans can share their entry on their social media channels and ask their friends to vote for her. The top 5 submissions will be entered as finalists and judges will review and choose a final winner.

Can’t nominate your mother? You can still enter the Fan Sweepstakes by following World Market on your favorite social media channels (within the Facebook application) for a chance to win one of 10 $500 World Market gift cards.

You can find World Market on Facebook,  Pinterest, Twitter, or Instagram and see what specials they have going on right now.

How are you going to pamper your mom this Mother’s Day?

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and World Market, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #MyAmazingMom.http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

The post Picnic Date in the Park with My Mom appeared first on white house black shutters.

Recently I added some fun colors to our family room, and replaced the map over the couch with a gallery of clipboards. When I say this project couldn’t be simpler, I mean it. The toughest part was the planning and pre-measuring. Or maybe it was making a trip to the office supply store around dinner time with three kids? Yeah, that was probably the toughest part. :)

First you need some clipboards. I didn’t want anything plastic, colorful, or with a weird rectangle-y wire clip, see below:

You can find a three pack of clipboards at Staples for $4.99 or so, or single clipboards for under $2 .

I like hanging things in odd numbers, so I went with a three by five wall with 15 clipboards. Odd, odd, odd: perfect! and for around $25, that’s much much cheaper than finding 15 big picture frames.

Now to hang them, but how? I have plenty of tutorials pinned on the easiest way to hang stuff, but since I had 15 to hang, I didn’t want to make more work for myself. I laid the boards out to see how close or far I should space them out and measured.

I set the clipboards 0n the top of the couch up there  and leaned them against the wall, placing two on the outer edges, centering one in the middle, and centering two in between those. Measure and see how much space is between each one and get it all even. That’s the biggest you can go in between boards horizontally.

I didn’t want them directly behind our heads when sitting on the couch, so I measured six inches above the couch and it worked perfectly. I laid three clipboards onto the floor, spaced them out, and measured to see how close I would want them and what would fit on the wall.

I liked the look of the clipboards 6 inches up from the couch, and 4 inches apart (up and to the sides) the best. 

So how do you hang them? Have your nails ready, a hammer, a tape measure, and take it a clipboard at a time. I made some doodles to help!

First, find the center of the couch, measure up six inches, hold the clipboard in place, use a nail to indent where the nail will go. Hammer in the nail and hang the clipboard.

Measure 4 inches to the right of the board, 6 inches up from the couch (inching the boards up to align them), indent with your nail, hammer, and hang. Repeat for the clipboard next to it. Now go back to the center board and repeat for the left two boards. Any boards look weird? Measure to double check and fix if needed.

Now go to the next row of boards. Measure up, mark, nail, and hang. Measure over and up, mark, nail, and hang. Stand back to check, move onto the next row.

You’re almost done! Do the last row repeating the process above. Stand back and if your couch doesn’t look centered, scoot it over until it does. ;)

Now all you need to do is fill them! I put my kids to work painting watercolors and gave them prompts like “oooh, try a blue one!” “how about green dots?”, but ultimately let them do their thing, and uhh, edited which ones I hung. ;) You can also hang family photos or collages, stock black and white photos, prints, messages, or seasonal prints. The kids even had the idea to hang balloons from the clips for a birthday party!

The whole project took under an hour to finish with kids around (and asking for potty breaks). You can customize the wall any way you’d like, and it’d take a lot quicker if you were hanging less!

So, what do you think?

Do you love the industrial yet vintage-school look of the clipboards? Cause I’m smitten. :)

The post How to Make a Clipboard Wall appeared first on white house black shutters.