While the mix-and-matched gallery wall was the biggest wall art trend of the past few years, you may be a bit tired of this eclectic style. If you’re looking for a new (but equally easy) way to spruce up your walls at Marquis at Barton Trails, get some inspiration from these exciting ideas.

1. Hang a tree trunk slice. Visit your local craft store or even a lumberyard and purchase a few large tree trunk slices. Sand them down and stain them, or hang them as-is for a truly rustic look.
2. Create cool frames using Washi tape. If you’re tired of the hefty price tags (and the holes) that come with traditional frames, try creating one-dimensional frames out of colorful Washi tape. Create designs that are sleek, ornate, traditional or even a little wacky in all of the shapes and sizes that you desire.
3. Hang a vintage map. If you have a large wall space that you just don’t know how to cover, try using a large vintage map. These are fairly easy to come by online or at your local thrift store or on sites like Etsy.
4. Display antique ceramics. Collect an assortment of antique plates and baskets from antique stores or family members and display them using hanging plate racks.
5. Frame your records. If you’re a music fan, frame your favorite records using square frames designed especially for that purpose.

10 Impressive DIY Wall Art Projects from Our House Tours [Apartment Therapy]
Washi Tape Wall Art Ideas [Apartment Therapy]
50 Beautiful DIY Wall Art Ideas For Your Home [Decoist]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr mikecogh

If you’re looking for a fun, social way to let your kids exercise their creativity, Color Me Mine is a great choice. This public art studio enables kids and adults to choose a pre-made bisque pottery piece and then decorate it using the studio’s wide assortment of tools, paint colors, glazes, and kilns to fire the project once it’s complete. After three to five days, you’ll receive your painted and fired project to enjoy at home. One low studio fee covers all of your supplies, and then it’s just a matter of paying for whichever bisque item that you choose.

The studio is also a very popular place to hold kids’ birthday parties, bachelorette parties, and other types of celebratory gatherings. Color Me Mine even hosts wine nights where of-age visitors can enjoy a favorite bottle of wine while painting and relaxing with friends.

Color Me Mine is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Color Me Mine
13500 Galleria Circle
Bee Cave, TX 78738
(512) 535-0005
www.beecave.colormemine.com
www.yelp.com/biz/color-me-mine-bee-cave

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/marianmansur

Everyone gets stressed out from time to time, but if it starts to interfere with your day-to-day life, you could be dealing with something a bit more serious. The next time you start to feel those overwhelming feelings creeping on you, try these simple tips for combating stress naturally.

• Don’t let it go too far. It’s much easier to manage stress when it first begins than when it starts to spiral out of control, so watch out for the warning signs early. If you can tell that it’s going to be a stressful week, prepare in advance so that you can manage your tasks without becoming overwhelmed.
• Address the physical side effects. While stress itself is mental, its side effects are often physical. When you start to get jittery or your feel your heart racing, do some relaxing stretches, practice breathing exercises, or simply close your eyes and count to 10 to counteract those feelings.
• Watch your diet. Before you start stress eating or grabbing unhealthy fast food while rushing to work, stop and plan your meals. What you eat can have a big impact on your mental state, so be sure to try to eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins to stay energized. Try to steer clear of caffeine!
• Do something silly. Take a break from life (even if it’s just for five minutes) to laugh at a silly video or dance it out. Sometimes that’s all you need!

Top 10 Instant Stress Busters [Lifehacker]
7 Best Ways to Bust Stress [SheKnows]
15 Easy Ways to Bust Work Stress [Men’s Health]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr takebackyourhealthconference