i am so excited to share with you my happy news #2 (or #3 if you count this and this): my new stencil collection with royal design studio!

the launch of this line is yet another dream come true that i’ve been eager to share with you for months now! i’m so happy the time has finally come to spill the beans on all my happy news. :)

working with royal designs studio has been so amazing. from the first instant i saw their website, i was blown away at how beautiful the stencils are and how modern and creative their approach is to stenciling.

working with melanie royals (owner and creative behind rds) has been wonderful. not only is she incredibly sweet, but her attention to detail and creative sense is refreshing and truly inspirational.

my first line of stencils with royal design studio is whimsical and inspired by nature. you’ll find a few that coordinate with my new fabric line (like this one and this one) and several others that are new and exclusive to this collection.

you’ll find falling daisies, flocks of birds, vintage vases and other wonderments to feather your nest with as you explore the new line. the stencils in this collection are perfect for walls, floors, furniture, fabric.. and more!

above: bloomers offered in 3 sizes: big bloomers, medium bloomers, and baby bloomers

add a little granny chic to your space with these vintage vases or a sweet and simple look with the wonderment trellis stencil. offered in two sizes, the small-scale trellis is perfect for small wall spaces, furniture, and floorcloths and the large-scale trellis is perfect for feature walls.

the herringbone shuffle gives a woven herringbone look, but with a more open, airy feel that makes it easier to introduce multiple colors using stencil brushes. the soaring flock of birds stencil is another pattern with several design options! above, you’ll see the pattern repeated twice and offset in two colors to create more depth and dimension.

one of my favorite designs are the daisy dots. each size and shape of flower comes with three pieces: 2 layers of petals and a scalloped border which gives you several design options. use either of the petal stencils alone, layer them for more depth OR use the use all three! offered in 3 sizes: small daisy dot, medium daisy dot, large daisy dot.

the forest floor damask stencil was inspired by the flora and fauna of nature. stencil repeatedly on a wall or floor to create a blanket of natural goodness, or turn the square pattern repeat on its side and stencil it as checkerboard tiles. the space in between makes for a perfect fit for the large fly away with me bird stencil.

pssst! grab 20% off through next friday (5/17/13) by using code “BONNIE20″.

wrap up: {bonnie christine} {paint} {royal design studio} {stencils} {wall}

since we never had eggs in the house (and i feel too guilty buying them for just their shells), i’ve decided to pass on decorating eggshells this year. it’s such a fun tradition though, i couldn’t help but share with you some of the beauties i’ve spotted! i am especially loving the ones with gold accents. it’s times like these where i really miss my hens, they were so fun to take care of! i don’t miss eating eggs though.. so i guess that’s that..

are you decorating eggshells this year? what is your diy style of choice?

1 | painterly pastel eggs 2 | happy spring 3 | diy pantone eggs 4 | golden marbled easter eggs 5 | gold leaf easter eggs 6 | everyday decorating easter eggs 7 | golden marbled easter eggs

wrap up: {decorate} {diy} {easter} {egg} {eggshells} {paint}

find the above projects here: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

lately, i’ve been researching painted floors and thought i would share with you a few that i have particularly fell in love with. as we house hunt and see old wooden floors throughout many of the homes, i can’t help but think about stenciling on them, even if in just one small room like the laundry area. my grandmother painted her wood floors a beautiful white and it brings such a clean, sweet, country feel to her little cottage. if you’re interested in learning more about how to go about painting wood floors, be sure to check out this tutorial by elle decor as well as this one over on apartment therapy.

wrap up: {decor} {diy} {floors} {home} {paint} {stencil} {wood}

as i mentioned earlier, one of my favorite things to do each year is choose a gift wrapping theme. one year it was recycled newspaper, the next was huge glittered initials for each package. last year i used kraft paper and made pretty bows, and this year i’m making ‘chalkboard’ packages! with a little black kraft paper and a few white paint markers, i think they’ve turned out to be really cute. here’s how i did it:

the first thing you’ll need is some black craft paper. i got mine right here and though i’m super happy with it, you should be warned: it’s a HUGE roll! i was so surprised when it came in the mail, i guess i didn’t take care to check out the dimensions! so anyways, we might be doing this next year, too. ;)

next you’ll need a white paint marker that will show up well on black paper. after some trial and error and visiting my local scrapbooking store, this is what i came home with:

1. tim holtz distress marker in ‘picket fence’. this one looks very ‘chalky’. it goes on clear, but quickly dries in white.

2. sakura pen-touch white. this is the one i used for almost all of the packages. it’s easy to work with and still hasn’t run dry, so one is probably plenty!

3. crayola white colored pencil. not the greatest option, but it does show up if it’s all you have.

4. painters opaque paint marker. this is another good option. the point is a bit finer than what i wanted, but would work great for detail work!

the next thing you’ll need is some good ideas! i took some time to sit down and jot down a few ideas before i got started so that i would have something to reference. really anything goes! just in case you would like to use some of the same motifs, i’ve made this a download for you to reference. just click on the image above and print!

so there you have it. my ‘chalkboard’ packages that have been so fun to make! they are simple, affordable and really cute all bundled together.

what are your packaging plans this year?

wrap up: {chalkboard} {christmas} {holiday} {packages} {paint} {paper} {pen} {white} {wrapping}

these patterned paint rollers have successfully made my mind run wild. think of all the possibilities! i just want to walk around with one rolling things as i go. walls, fabric, floors, curtains..  oh my! visit their site and etsy shop to see more selections.

i hope you each have a wonderful weekend! i have so enjoyed meeting here with you all this week. in case you’re just catching up, here’s a recap of what’s been happening here:

- stay organized with my printable christmas gift list

- read the story of our christmas tree

- gift the roost tribe to give a whole year of creativity

- be sure to check out these amazing recipes

- download december’s desktop calendar

- shop ghtr’s gift guides for creatives

see you next week! xx

wrap up: {bird} {decor} {deer} {paint} {patterned} {rollers} {walls}

today i’ve been oohing and ahhing over valerie’s chalk art at lily & val. valerie first hand draws in chalk, then meticulously paints over them using a technique that preserves the realistic look of chalk with the durability of acrylic paint. the result looks like an authentic chalk masterpiece, but won’t ever rub off! i think these would make great christmas gifts, or add the perfect touch to your holiday decor. visit her shop  or website for originals, digital and prints.

wrap up: {art} {board} {chalk} {christmas} {gifts} {handmade} {holidays} {paint}

i use baskets for just about everything. in fact, i don’t even have a drawer for my socks! i keep everything from scarves to dog toys in baskets of all kinds, so this diy for painted baskets from the marion house book really stood out to me. every time i go thrifting, i now scour the isles for big baskets- i would especially love to find some large round ones like these pictured above.

aren’t they beautiful? head on over to the marion house book to see the full tutorial.

and just for some added inspiration, i also love these dipped-dyed baskets from martha. oh, the possibilities!

wrap up: {baskets} {dip-dyed} {diy} {inspiration} {paint} {painted} {project}

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

six pretty pumpkin projects, perfect for autumn. do you like to carve or decorate pumpkins this time of year?

wrap up: {carve} {chalk} {diy} {paint} {pretty} {project} {pumpkin}