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Bringing Nature Into Your House When Plants Aren’t Invited (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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I’ve never had a green thumb, but there was a time in my adult life when I did successfully manage to keep several plants in the house alive. I really enjoyed having those splashes of green throughout my home. I knew they were scrubbing the air and they were a sign of victory for me after YEARS of killing plants (anyone else out there over-water their cactus…twice?).

But I don’t have a single plant in my house at the moment, and I don’t expect I will for another 4 or 5 years. Allow me to explain why:
1. I have a cat who decided a few years ago that potted plants were very unusual litter boxes. Putting large rocks in the pots did help with this problem, but didn’t completely solve it.

2. In the not so distant past I had a newly walking toddler who liked to grab things. And eat them. Things like plant leaves. I made sure that we didn’t have any poisonous plants before we reached that stage, but Darah seemed to be perfectly fine chewing on the stuff that wasn’t poisonous, too.

3. Now that I have a tiny little kid in the house, that means I have a mischief-maker. I know she would delight in toting plants around the house, at least until her arms got tired, and then she’s just drop/break it on the floor.

4. This same child also LOVES to dig in the dirt. You can see where that leads us…

So yeah, no plants for me. Has anyone else out there had to get rid of their plants for the foreseeable future?

I do miss them. And it recently occurred to me that I could bring some plant life back in my house without having to actually have plants. I could turn to art! I’ve learned so much over the past few months about all the ways that art can breathe new life into your home, and if you are a bit short on plants and other signs of nature, bringing in some art can really help you out!

I found a print that really took my breath away on Gallery Direct. It’s by the same artist who painted the beach scene we have in our bedroom. It’s a painting of a tree with some gorgeous moss on it. It actually reminds me very much of a trip Tim and I took to the Pacific Northwest a handful of years ago, where I got to see some of the greenest landscapes ever. I remember driving through the woods and honestly expecting to see gnomes and fairies pop up. The forests had such an enchanted look. And there was moss growing everywhere. This picture immediately pulls me back into those forests and into that feeling of being somewhere magical. That’s more than any houseplant of mine ever did, I have to say!

But what I REALLY like about this painting is the material that it is on. As I was looking over the options on Gallery Direct, I noticed that you could get your artwork placed on birchwood. PERFECT! It gives the piece such a natural vibe. I didn’t tell Tim anything about the piece I selected so it would be a surprise when it arrived. When he opened it, he immediately commented that the wood looked amazing and that it might be his favorite display option so far. It is very much in line with his personal style. I’m so glad I gave it a try with this tree painting. I’m not sure if I would have, otherwise, but now that I’ve seen it, I think it rocks.

Right now, Gallery Direct is having a BIG sale on their site. Everything is 25% off AND you get free shipping! If you don’t have any reminders of the great outdoors in your abode, here’s your chance to remedy that situation, no watering can required! And here’s one more reason to support Gallery Direct (other than the fact that you will be BLOWN AWAY by the quality of their work). Did you know that Gallery Direct provides the artwork for Extreme Makeover Home Edition? It’s true! As you ooh and ahh over the beautiful homes this season, note the art on the walls. It’s all from Gallery Direct!

So how about you? How do you bring nature into your home? Do you have a house full of plants? Any images on your walls that take you outside without having to leave the house? Any other ideas for how to bring the great outdoors in?

Win it!:  EEEEEE!!!!! I’ve been waiting for this moment for a few months, and I’m so excited to tell you that you now have a chance to win a $200 credit to Gallery Direct! You can choose from the AMAZING images they offer, or you can upload your own to create some truly custom art. You are going to swoon when you see the final product!


Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

Disclosure: I serve as a blog ambassador for Gallery Direct. Product samples are provided as part of the program. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

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  63. I LOVE New Years Day by Jon Eric Narum. Stunning! I can totally picture that in our living room right above the couch. Thank you for the chance to win this!

    mlynnh5 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  73. There are a few that I really like! I like Autumn Dusk II by Caroline Ashton and Autumn Oasis II by St John. Both would look at home in my house!

    Reply

  90. Noon Gaze by Steve Parker

    This one makes me feel like I want to be there…

    sxybrt23 at gmail dot com

    Reply

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