Now that things are beginning to fall into place at our new house, I’ve been thinking about what to hang on the walls. I laid out all of the art I had kept from our old house, and with a furrowed brow, realized I don’t want to use all of what I have in the new digs. Some, sure, but definitely not all. Mostly, I’m just using less art than I have in the past— due in part to how much I enjoyed the visually cleaner walls of our old house as I was clearing things out for our move. But also due to a more minimalist approach to decorating this new home.

As I’ve been putting old artwork into storage, I felt a little crazy realizing that I wanted to get a couple of new pieces to hang instead. Art is such a personal thing and can absolutely change the mood of a space. I really want to get it right. In the past I actually found most of the art for our home at thrift shops and garage sales. But now that I’m getting more wiggle room in our budget, I’d like to be more discerning. So I’ve been  obsessively window shopping for art online, considering options and placements, but have only pulled the trigger on one purchase so far— the painting of the little girl I’ve hung in my living room (as shown above). I figured I’d share my other favorites with you, because sharing is caring, right?!

1. Mid Century Acrylic Abstract 25.5 x 13″ // $495
2. Mother and Child 11 x 14″ // $128
3. Abstract Oil Painting 20 x 16″ //$68
4. Horses Painting 32 x 16″ // $163
5. Abstract Ink on Paper 18 x 14″ // $695
6. Mixed Media Collage in Pinks 33 x 32″ // $364
7. Running White Stallion 15 x 12″ // $140
8. Large Floral Still Life 41 x 51″ // $950
9. Abstract Acrylic Painting 26 x 31″ // $595
10. Modern Bicycle Lithograph 32 x 27″ // $148
11. Square Oil Painting 13 x 13″ // $177
12. Female Figure 30 x 40″ // $465
13. Two Girls 20 x 24″ // $275

Thank you to everyone who checked out the Baby Highpants Etsy shop! I used Random.org to generate a winner for the Poppy bag giveaway, and Mallory was the lucky gal who won! If you didn’t win, don’t forget the 20% off code that’s good for one more week at Baby Highpants: midwesthighpants

Lucy and I teamed up with the kind folks of Baby Highpants to bring you a very special handmade giveaway. Whether you need a bag for stashing bottles and diapers, or just a classic shopper or messenger bag, Baby Highpants has a really nice selection of colors and styles for both men and women. I’ve selected this customizable Poppy bag for one reader to win! Check out the details below— Who knows? It could be your lucky day!

Please comment below for a chance to win! The winner of the giveaway will receive their own customized version of the Poppy bag in either the large diaper bag size or medium size (shown here with pockets suitable for a diaper bag). The bag will also come with a changing pad and stroller clip if you’re using yours for a diaper bag. Pretty nifty! I’ve been enjoying using my medium bag for Lucy’s cloth and disposable diapers, plus I can still fit my own things and a little sweater for Lucy. It’s just big enough without feeling like I’m carrying around a baby duffel bag!

Curious about how the bags are made? Check out the process photos on Baby Highpants’s Facebook page here. Peep the bags on Instagram too!

If you don’t win the giveaway but are still interested in snagging a Baby Highpants bag to call your own, they’re offering Making Nice in the Midwest readers a special 20% discount for two weeks! Use the code midwesthighpants during your checkout to apply the discount.

Good luck! I’ll be posting the randomly selected winner this Friday.

click to shop each item: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This time of year I can’t help but get a little giddy about Fall, but I don’t want to wish away Summer just yet! Something that helps me cope with this seasonal mental drama is planning how I can stretch my Summer favorites deep into Fall weather. Warm, textural accessories in neutral colors easy bridge the gap between balmy Summer days and crisp Autumn breezes. Here are a few pretty vintage purses I’ve hoarded collected through the years that I’ve finally gotten around to adding to Fine & Dandy Vintage‘s end of Summer inventory. Click the links above to snag a purse for yourself!