The last time I worked with Groupon, I was at the end of our cloth diaper days, but still thinking with cloth savings in mind. I like to get crafty and creative in my savings (without feeling like I’m skimping), so I shared how people could pair Groupon deals with unexpected cloth diaper retailers, to generate cost savings beyond going reusable with diapering. When Groupon reached out to me recently, I decided to go way back in my consumer history.

I’ve been using Groupon for over 10 years, and I was a much more frequent user when I lived in Baltimore (and had no children). In my pre-child days, I used Groupon to take a chance on new restaurants, try a new spa, or take advantage of wine tastings and beer flights. While I still use Groupon for an occasional restaurant, spa or salon outing, Groupon Coupons are more tailored to my everyday online shopping needs (almost all of my shopping is done online these days).

While I was astounded when I calculated how long I’ve been using Groupon, I’m even more surprised to see how long I’ve been using eBay. I was an early user, grabbing deals and steals before shipping became expensive, and have been a member of eBay since…2001! In those sixteen years, I’ve done a lot of buying and selling, as my 100% rating with 314 feedback comments attest.

eBay helped me make extra money, while unloading unused items stored in boxes in dark closets — keeping me afloat during a period of unemployment after graduating with my undergraduate degree. eBay saw me through graduate school, where I purchased my texts, in addition to every Hemingway book to be found (I had this crazy notion of becoming a Hemingway scholar). When I was single and decorating my first home, I found fun knick-knacks and collectibles to add some personality and style to my digs. I’ve purchased shoes (I wear a hard-to-find-size), sold items to raise money for my wedding, purchased items from France for my husband, and even went across an ocean to find a replacement stuffed animal for my son. And because my household combined with my husband’s, I can add a pair of Robert Downey Jr.’s shoes, and a bronze mold of Robin Williams face, to the list of unusual items that we’ve found on the global marketplace known as eBay. (Don’t drink and eBay, my friends. Just don’t.)

So, while I’ve known about Groupon and eBay for ages, I had no idea that they could compliment each other so well. Yes, my friends, Groupon offers coupons for eBay. From 20% off, to $10 off, free shipping and valet listing, there is definitely something for everyone. I’ve always been amazed by the deals and steals I find on eBay, and the fact that I can use Groupon Coupons to increase those savings? Unbelievable.

The next time you find yourself about the click the Buy It Now or Place Bid button, remember to check Groupon’s eBay coupons before checking out!

* This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Groupon; all opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

This post was sponsored by Armstrong Ceilings as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central; all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

I love popcorn. I also love icicles, but I don’t love them on my ceiling. Who’s with me?

I’ve both lived-in, and visited, a lot of homes in my lifetime, and when I see a popcorn ceiling I a.) shudder, then b.) wonder why or how anyone ever thought that looked good (it reminds me of asbestos, seriously), and c.) wonder how bad the drywall job really is underneath all of that spackle. Yuck! Have you ever tried to paint a textured ceiling? Not fun, not fun at all. I once helped a friend try to remove a popcorn ceiling in her home — never again, my friends, never again. It’s been over 10 years and I’m pretty sure I still have some spackle bits in my eye.

 

Since buying our home in June, I’ve shared some of my decorating, but we’ve only recently begun making the home our own by adding finishing touches, such as painting rooms to give them personality (other than the neutral paint the house came with). A couple things have stood out, as we go room to room. First, the entire house features the original hardwood floors except the living room and my son’s bedroom. Hmmm. At some point we’ll lift the carpet to check out what’s underneath, but I suspect the floors are in bad condition if the developer chose to carpet them. The other thing is that most areas of the house have smooth, drywall ceilings, but some have a textured stucco finish. Another hmmm. Again, how bad was the drywall job that they felt the need to cover some rooms with a textured spackle? I don’t suspect we’ll try to do anything with them soon, as we have other projects taking priority, but when we do, I have the answer: Armstrong Ceilings.

The great news, my popcorn-ceilinged-friends, is that Armstrong Ceilings are designed to help homeowners easily (emphasis on easily) cover unsightly textured ceilings. No hassle, no need to redo the drywall. Armstrong Ceilings Easy Up installation tracks are self-explanatory, making it easy to transform your room with their panels. Better still, Armstrong Ceilings Country Classic Planks (and Easy Up installation tracks) are available at Lowe’s across the country. Look for this endcap, with everything you need for installation:

 

If you are unable to locate Armstrong Ceilings planks at your local Lowe’s, don’t fret! Lowe’s offers Special Order Express, allowing you to order the materials you need and receive them in 7 days or less. I know how important that time frame is because when I decide on a home project, I want to get started as soon as possible (so that my burst of “inspiration” doesn’t leave me).

If you’re ready to say goodbye to the popcorn, and learn more about how you can easily transform your room with Armstrong Ceilings, you can visit them HERE. Need a little design inspiration? Follow Armstrong Ceilings on Facebook and Twitter.

Every so often, the stars align and an opportunity presents itself, though this is definitely a first for me (I know, you’re wondering what Artis Wall has to do with this, so just read on). With my husband having started a new position in June, and our purchase of a new home, he basically forfeited a summer vacation. So that the summer wasn’t a complete loss, I planned a road trip to Ohio, so that I could visit my best friend from college and D could play with her sons.

About a week before the trip, I received an email from Artis Wall, likely stemming from my master bedroom unveiling post. Upon investigation, I got lost in the beautiful photos of reclaimed wood paneled walls, each with a history. Here’s the cool part, Artis Wall’s parent company, Baker-McMillen, is located just outside of Akron, Ohio — a little under an hour from where I would be visiting. After a phone chat with marketing and Artis Wall’s co-creator, Will Kimmerle, I arranged a visit to the plant while I was in the area.

After a brief introduction to the Artis Wall team, I was taken on a tour of the plant to see how Artis Wall reclaimed wood planks are processed. Due to the proprietary nature of the product, I was unable to take photos of the process, but I can tell you that the team is small and each reclaimed wood plank is handled with care…by REAL people (and nice people at that).

Sustainability

I love repurposed artwork and decor, and Artis Wall reclaimed wood planks takes this concept to an elevated level. Not only is the wood sourced from old, historic barns and structures across the United States (Artis Wall is 100% made in the USA), but a feature of the product/process that doesn’t get enough attention is the fact that Artis Wall replaces what they take. Much like reforestation, or even wetland preservation, Artis Wall replaces the wood that it takes from barns.

I was under the impression that Artis Wall wood was being taken from razed barns, but I was quickly set straight. Not only is Artis Wall creating a product with a history, but they’re helping preserve that history by replacing the wood that they take. In fact, they were just about to head to Amish Country to retrieve wood from a few barns (so they’ll have more stock soon!).

What’s Old is New

I purchased my first home when I was 25; built in 1979, my townhome’s decor was pretty much untouched since then. I typically have a difficult time visualizing spaces, so when I saw the shingled wall in what would be my living room, I knew I had to tear everything off to start with a clean slate. Not only was a single wall covered in wooden shingles, but they had painted said wall a dark shade of brown underneath. This was not my first experience with wood paneling/shingles, as our family home had the same feature when we purchased it in the late 80s. Wood paneling definitely wasn’t ‘in’ then, but Artis Wall is bringing back wood paneling features and elevating the look with reclaimed wood.

It’s definitely interesting to see how old fashions and techniques are brought back into style and revitalized. While I could not envision my former home with the wood paneling it came with, I can now see how beautiful our living room would look with a removable reclaimed wood accent wall.

When ‘New’ Becomes Old

Perhaps the best part of Artis Wall is that it is easily installed…and easily removed. While I was left with hundreds of holes, left from staples used to secure the wood panels, Artis Wall has patented a way for users to easily install AND remove their reclaimed wood panels without destroying their walls in the process: A.I.M.™ Strips.

Should you decide you no longer like your reclaimed wood paneled Artis Wall where it’s located, or decide to change your decor, you can easily remove the panels. Having had the chance to speak with Artis Wall co-creator, Will Kimmerle, I learned that he worked for over a year to find a way to install Artis Wall without damaging your walls.

I remember renting a home, where we were not allowed to use nails to hang artwork, and spending a significant chunk of money on Command products…only to have the product fail. A clock we had received as a wedding gift fell from the wall, breaking on the hardwood floor, and taking a chunk of the plaster with it (the clock was lightweight, so it was well within the product’s weight limits). Not only did we end up doing more damage with a nail-less product, but we ended-up with an expensive broken clock.

Having a similar experience, Kimmerle spent a great deal of time coming up with an adhesive option (A.I.M.™ Strips) that a.) won’t damage your walls, and b.) actually works! I was amazed to see it in action, Will quickly removed strips from his office wall to demonstrate the damage-free ease of use — I was sold!

A Piece of History

The artwork my husband and I display around our home is not only there for aesthetic purposes, but also as conversation pieces. Artis Wall panels are each stamped with an origination code that you can then enter on the site to discover the history of the structure from where it came. One of the interesting things about Artis Wall is that they research the history of each structure, and provide a detailed history of the structure’s use, or uses over time, giving you an intimate look at the history now gracing your walls.

The Process

If you grew up in a house with antiques, you know that the introduction of wood into your home can be precarious (my parents once acquired a piece with wood worms that had to be treated quickly, before it could ‘attack’ other pieces in our home). Artis Wall reclaimed wood panels are all treated in a process of kiln heating (160 degrees for 4+ days), to kill any fungus or possible pests and remove moisture from the wood.

Because all of the moisture is removed from the wood, you want to open your cases of Artis Wall panels upon receipt and leave in the room where you’ll be installing for at least 72 hours prior to use. This will acclimate the wood to the climate of the room, allowing you to install the panels without fear of your hard work being railroaded by expanding panels; if you’re the impatient type, and your panels do expand after installing, you need only adjust the panel placement after expansion.

I am absolutely impressed with Artis Wall, from their company history, their passion for the product they produce, and the rich history they’re helping to preserve. If you’re looking to make a statement in your home, consider adding Artis Wall reclaimed wood panels — your wall will be the talk amongst friends!

Visit ArtisWall.com to purchase, and be sure to check out their Instagram account for beautiful examples of Artis Wall in action!

*This post is sponsored by Artis Wall; all opinions are my own.