DIY Restoration Hardware Map

Ever been to a Restoration Hardware? It looks like this:

Yeah.

So after a walk through you're just like:

Then you look at a price tag.

One of my favorite things in the store is thier huge street map of old Paris. 

Unfortunately this girl doesn't have $1,800 to spend on wall art. Thus:

1. So the first thing you're going to want to do is find the map you want to use. You're going to want it to be really, really large so make sure when you're searching to set your search tools to larger than 4MP. 

When you find the one you want, you have two choices:

a. If you have Photoshop, use the guides to split the map up into sections that will fit on a single page. The bigger you want it, the more divisions you'll need to make. I ended up using 35 pages. After you've placed the guides, copy/paste each section onto individual pages. Then print!

b. Convert the image to a PDF. When printing, select that you want a to print as a poster. You'll be able to choose what size you want to the final product to be. Then print!

2. Trim those edges! Kinko's has paper cutters that will make life soooo much easier and you can use them for free! 

3. Lay out the papers edge to egde and measure the length and width. Mine was 70.5 x 40 inches. 

4. Go to Home Depot grab an employee and find MDF in the lumber aisle. Ask him/her to cut it down to your measurements. It's a free service!!! While your at HD be sure to grap some hanging supplies! 

5. Gather all your supplies!

6. Get Mod Podging! I started at the top corner and worked one page at a time. 

Brush the Mod Podge onto the surface, then onto the back of the paper and adhere. Smooth out the page to prevent any bubbles. Once you've got all the pages down put another layer of Mod Podge over the top to seal it all in.

7. Get your hot husband to figure out how to hang it. Hold the level when he needs you to. 

8. Hang your masterpiece and enjoy!!!

Oh yeah... this cost a total of $43. So... $1757 in savings! 

And the Winner is...

Thanks so much for all your support! Without much ado, the winner is:

In all fairness, I did pick my moms name first but we both agreed it would be better if it went outside the family. But congrats! Mandy, you can email me at briellestory@gmail.com when you get a moment! 

Everyone else:

Consolation story: 

I am the activity days leader for my church. This means every other Wednesday I lead activities for all the girls 8-12. A.K.A Church appointed babysitter. 

Last week we went on a nature hike.

Me: Alright! Before we leave does anyone need to use the restroom?

So we all go to the bathroom:

Anyway, the girls are filing into the the stalls when one of them stops, turns and gives me one of these:

She motions me over and I peek in. It's total destruction. What happened to create this???

I can't even say it. Help me out Neil? 

Anyway, the little barbarians gather around to gawk and  I'm trying to get them focused on the real objective when the littlest one starts laughing hysterically. 

Her: (Between gasps) It's a prank! 

Quizzical looks.

Her: Look, someone but purple koolaid in the toilet! 

We look. 

Definitely not purple koolaid.  

Choice:

a) Introduce young girls to their awful and eminent future

b) Say it's koolaid. 

Always choose b. Period. 

Custom Shoe Giveaway

If I pinky promise to only do this once will you forgive my shameless self promotion? I swear I will never mention this again so just hold it in for a quick second.

I opened an Etsy shop.

I know it's cliche! Stop it, I'm already embarrassed. 

In this said shop, I sell those custom painted shoes that I do sometimes.

So here is the deal.  I will make someone a pair of these for free. They can have anything you dream on them, sports teams, lyrics, the power rangers, whatever floats your fancy.  

If you would like to be entered to win a pair you can do these things. 

1. Share this blog post on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest

2. Favorite one of the shoes on my Etsy account 

3. Bring me cake

Each thing you do will get you entered an additional time. Seeing as I have a mere 41 followers... the chance of winning is pretty dang probable. 

Again, click here for a link to my shop!

Comment below to let me know what you've done and I'll announce the winner Friday, May 18.

Thanks :) Now try to rip your eyes away:

My Not So Perfect Life

Social Media. It's kind of like looking at the world through rose colored glasses yeah? If you only knew me through Facebook or Instagram you might think life is rainbows and unicorns.

Sometimes, it is:

And sometimes it's not:

So today, instead of glossing over the bad parts in hopes of appearing like I have it all together all the time, here are some of the worst parts of being me. 

1. FP. Let's be honest guys, my fat potential is off the charts. If I look at a piece of cheesecake for too long I gain 5 pounds. It's a daily struggle:

I try so hard. But then my arch nemesis/best friend chocolate waves at me from the check out line and I can't help it. Just a little bit right?

No. All of the chocolates. 

My inevitable future:

2. True story: Minutes after asking me to marry him, Breck called his best friend Karl to tell him the good news. Quoting him, "Yeah as long as she shaves her legs everyday it should be great."

I have hairy legs. All the time. I take a shower, I shave my legs, I get goosebumps and by the time my shower is over, I have spikes.

It's like each follicle has a hoard of hairs just waiting to surface:

Breck is not a fan:

Whatever, fur is fashionable

Now you may be wondering:

Don't worry, it gets worse.

3. You've heard the term hangry?

Most people when they are hangry:

Extreme cases of hangry:

Me when I'm hangry:

It is not pleasant. But when I'm hungry I can't think of anything but the quickest way to eat. Survival is very much a part of me. Plus:  

This is America people!

4. Have I told you about that one time some one put a baby in my arms and I started crying I was so scared? Trust me, your evil cat is better with kids than I am.

I live in fear of parents ripping children out of my hands with a scathing look and telling me I'm not supporting their head properly. Geez! I'm the youngest! I don't know what to do with my hands!

And comforting a crying a baby? Hopeless:

I might as well give up and embrace my true tendencies:

5. Road rage. So much road rage.
Timeline of events. I see a back up:

And even if it's the best day of my life:

Things change quickly:

WHY COULD WE POSSIBLY BE GOING SO SLOWLY???

I even start to hate the people that got in accidents that cause the traffic. There are lines! Can you not stay in the lines????

And people that take a year and a half to turn right????

Oh you're going to cut me off after speeding down a lane that you know is going to merge?? I WILL follow you home. 

It's only a matter of time...

But serenity now, to err is human.

P.S. I hope you like me despite all this. Otherwise...