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States of the Union

OUR 1st HOUSE

Although we picked Melissa, our hearts really belong to Molly. And when I say Melissa and Molly, I mean Georgia and our native states. Yup. My boyfriend and I are not natural born Peaches. Sure, some people didn’t think it would work…you know, us being Georgia dawgs but just like Michael Vick, if you hang out with enough canines, eventually you can become a dog. (Bankruptcy hurts doesn’t it buddy – Burn!)

Don’t get me wrong. We love our little nook in the world – smooshed inbetween the rednecks and the rappers. But we still have a soft spot for our home states. Jeremy was a Tennessee boy when our romance began and me, well, I am a Jersey girl through and through. So naturally, when I spied this art at ZGallerie it inspired me to create my own little montage to our alma maters.
I noticed how the fonts were different sizes and styles. I also saw that they used names of landmarks, general areas, specific towns, and famous New York roads.


I kept those important factors in mind while I went to work with my own version of wordle. I created a little Tennessee montage and a New Jersey montage to remind us of our own home sweet home. Yes, I did it in Paint. Yes, it is not high-tech. Yes, I want to print it out on cream colored paper instead of super-white.


So what do you think of the final reveal? My uber-cheapo art is a fun reminder of who we are and where we come from. I tried to focus on including as many major cities as possible and also incorporate some very personal places as well. I bet with a little time and google.maps, you could create your own version to represent your home state.

Which leads me to my next question – where do you live and where are you from? Do we have any Jersey gals out there? Or Tennessee peeps? You know the volunteer state produced one hot cookie of a husband, so I imagine the gene pool is booming up there 🙂
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  1. I love that idea! I might have to consider doing that for me and my boyfriend. He’s Pennsylvania born and bred. I was born in West Virgina (don’t hold it against me), lived in Ohio until I was four, in Texas from 4-15, Pennsylvania 15-22 (where I met before-mentioned boyfriend), and 22-29 Massachusetts…where boyfriend and I now reside. Hmm, I think his “state art” would be easy to do. But what about me? I’m a bit of a state mutt. Woof!

  2. I love that idea, very cute and modern. I was born and raised in the LBC, thats Long Beach California, you know where Snoop Doggs from. It’s weird because somebody asked me if I knew him when I went to Hawaii one summer. No I dont know him but I love Long Beach ghetto and all.

  3. Love them, great idea. I love personalized art – so much better than off the shelf!

    I’m a Denver girl and B’s a Boulder boy – Colorado through and through. We probably need to get out of dodge (and by dodge I mean meddling in-laws) before babies come, but I don’t see B parting with his 300 days of sunshine.

  4. Diana – why not do all five?!? I think a series would look totally hip 🙂 or you could just pick your favorite state – sounds like Texas was a big chunk of life! Or you could whip out the cheese and only do Massachusetts because that is where your heart is 🙂

    Candice – do you know Cameron Diaz? 🙂 hee hee!

    X0 – Katie

  5. Love it. Yay for cheap homemade art!

    I’m from Wisconsin, but my hubby is a South Jersey boy! Together, we’ve lived in Minnesota, Kentucky, and are now moving to Michigan! We *heart* the midwest! 🙂

  6. What a great idea!!

    I was born and raised in Southern California. Right now we are in Maryland, right outside of DC. Tom was born in raised in Peachtree City, GA, came to So Cal for School and now in Law School in DC.

    I’m not sure if we are staying here or moving down to Georgia. It’s kind of up in the air at this point. I would love to go to GA, but with the economy the way it is, we might just stay put for the time being.

  7. I’m in Ohio and have been here all my life. I think often of moving south, but I think I’d have to pull my husband away. We’ll see.

  8. I’m from south jersey and still live there. My husbands from PA so he likes to torture about how much better pa is then nj. He would love this idea!

  9. What a great idea! I actually saw that print and have been wondering how to replicate it. You did a fantastic job; it looks like you bought those prints!

    I’m from a teeeeeeeeny tiny town in New York State and am in love with NYC. However, I went to college in Lynchburg, VA, which is where my husband and I currently reside. However, we’d like to eventually move up to Maryland. It’s a good halfway point 🙂

  10. Husband’s from Oregon and since my father was career Air Force man, I’m from… everywhere! We eventually met up in college in Southern California and we now live in Oregon with our mini. 🙂

    I really should do this to highlight all the places I’ve lived! I love this idea!

  11. I love this idea. I’ve been trying to come up with creative ways to represent all the places Justin and I have lived individually and together. That’s a lot of territory covered! Hence the inscription in his wedding band “Every morning, every mile…” =)

    I did a similar idea for an anniversary present for my folks. I framed a map of the Eastern US and basically connected the dots between all the places we’ve been as a family and then wrote a sentimental message around the border; it brought back a lot of memories to visually see all the cities/states we’ve lived. SOOO, I’m gonna steal your idea. Thanks friend
    Steph

  12. I freaking love the word art!! First the fab seafan art and now this. Will you marry me, K? I mean that in a totally non-lesbo way of course =)

    The Hubs and I grew up in Iowa and went to college there. We’ve been living in Colorado for 9 yrs now.

  13. I was born in north Jersey and lived there until I was eight. Most of my family still lives in the Garden State.
    The hubs is a different story, he’s lived in far too many states to count. He mainly calls Maryland his home state.

  14. I LOVE this idea, Katie! Thank you for sharing it with us…because The Hubs and I love to travel I think I’m going to do one of these after each of our trips. What a fun way to remember things we’ve done and places we’ve been without having to work on a scrapbook to log it all. 🙂

  15. I love the personalized art! It is very good. I might even try it someday.

    I am from MN- DH is from Boulder Colorado. Living in his hometown- but I am struggling to love this intense and ever present sun. (Unlike Emily and B apparently! = ) )

  16. You’re so freakin’ creative, Katie-Kat! I think that was a super unique and cheap and chic project…I might have to give it a whirl! :o)

  17. SUPER cute!

    I was born in Kansas, but consider Tennessee my home state. Gah, I love it and miss it! (sidenote, what’s your boyfriend’s hometown?) Not a Volunteer though, an Auburn Tiger 🙂 Wes is an Alabama boy (the state, not the university) all the way.

  19. Wow!! Guess I am the only Canadian. So you’re now International!! The bf and I both still reside in the same city we were born. Edmonton, AB – yes with the big mall! 🙂

    However, I did grow up as far North in the city, and now am as far South as we can get.

  20. Geesh – it looks like you friends are from all over! If you have a giant mall, how long are houseguests allowed to stay!?! wink wink! SO – I would love to see all your own versions of the home-town-lovin! Thus if you decide to do them – shoot me a photo, kay?!?

    Jennifer – my boyfriend is from East Brainerd, close to Chattanooga….or as I like to call it Chatty or Chatt-town. Where are you from?

    XO – Katie

  21. So cute, I am doing that for sure! My honey and I are originally from the great state of Maryland. We currently reside in Alabama and I love it here. I miss home, but this is a great place to raise my babies!

  22. Hubs and I are both from Illinois. They make ’em good up here.

    PS – Love your prints. Those are adorable and so sentimental to boot.

  23. I love this idea. Both hubby and I are from Hawaii and we now live in Oregon. It would be awesome to have one of these in our home to remind us of Hawaii.

  24. How cute! I may need to steal that one. 🙂
    We're Virginia peeps now & forever. Rob was born in NJ, and I was born in CA, but though we both try to emulate our respective home states neither of us lived in those places for long. 🙂

  25. Oooh, I totally dig this project. I am so stealing this idea. Ab fab. Got lotsta places to write in out here in Cali-for-ni-a for my version. Love it !

  26. That is cute stuff, sister.

    When one lives mere minutes away from the OTHER exceedingly large mall (**big wink**)? One lets her house guests stay as long as they want…if they’ll throw around some redecorating ideas – know what I’m sayin’?

    My hubby and I are from Minnesota. Never left. Sigh.

  27. My b/f and I were both born and raised in the great {flat} state of KANSAS! And we STILL live here. I absolutely LOVE it here. He went to college at KU {Rock Chalk Jayhawk Go KU!} and I went to school at a rival college that will go unmentioned! 😉

    Love your blog and this amazing cheap art! Have you ever checked out wordle.net? That would be another cool way to do this project if someone is not as talented in Paint as you are! 🙂

    Thanks for having such an AWESOME blog!
    Linds
    http://passengerseatkindofgirl.blogspot.com/

  28. Very cute!!

    I’m from TN myself – Knoxville. BUT of course, having gone to UGA, I do not like orange.

  29. ok, I’m just really excited that you made it in Paint, which I can do at work! yay! Oh and I’m from Philly, so I’ve got a plethora of landmarks to choose from.

  31. Fantastic!! I’ve lived in 7 cities in NC, so that’s a great start. Or, I could make one with landmarks from my college campus. The wheels are turning. Thanks!

  32. Woop woop. Jersey in the house. Love this project! And the fact that we’re brothers from another mother. Or something like that.

  33. I love, love the art. I want to do one for our area (St. Louis), but have to ask a question which will most certainly reveal my uncraftiness and lack of computer savvy…HOW DID YOU DO THAT? Please let me know if you would…[email protected]
    Thanks!
    Kelli <><<

  36. Love the Tennessee one. My grandmother lives on Signal Mountain, so I was excited to see that on there. 🙂

  37. Katie–what a cute idea. I made one for my husband and I’s special places–where we had our first kiss, got engaged, got married, went to school, our first apt., etc. It turned out so great that I plan to do it as wedding gifts for friends getting married this summer!

  38. What a fab idea – I am totally stealing this one! I grew up in PA, lived in Colorado and Wisconsin and now live in the UK – so I’m doing one with all the places that were important to me over the years. My boyfriend, on the other hand, was born and bred in Manchester so ours will vary wildly but I think they’ll be fantastic. Thank you for such a simple and personal project! LOVE. IT.

  42. Birmingham, AL

    Well, actually I’m from Alabaster, AL and he’s from McAdory, AL, and we live in Chelsea, AL now.

    But basically Birmingham, AL

  44. I found your site through YHL.
    Love this idea. Totally copying it.
    My husband and I live in GA also but are both from other states ( me-FL him-NY )
    Thanks.

  45. I can’t wait to make a few of these. My boyfriend is a born and bred Texas guy but I’ve lived all over the place. I’m hoping to make one for all the places that we’ve been together and/or lived and hanging them in our office. Great idea and so easy to do – thanks for helping to cover one more of our bare walls.

  47. Hi, Love your blog and all your awesome and creative ideas. Kudos! I really like this idea and was curious to know how you did the collage of these words. I see you mention yo did it in paint? Is that a program you have to buy? Do you think you could do it in Word? I feel like Word doesn’t allow for the same effect.

  49. This is a great idea! I am from Edmonton Alberta Canada! I see I am not the only Canadian-not to mention live in the same city! The one with the gigantic mall!

  50. Love the word art! and I am from Tabernacle! No one ever Knows where that is! Just have to leave you some SJ Love!

  51. OMGosh! I love this! (AND the paint chip framed
    art). I am following so I can see what you are up to next.
    Ok, now I am going back and dig deeper in
    your archives 🙂

  52. My boy and I both grew up and live in the same state. So I did one from his hometown, my hometown and the town we live in together.

    I love it. 🙂

  53. just found your blog and love it! Me, my husband, and our 3 little boys live in Canton, Ga. I normally don’t write comments but when you asked where do we live and where are we from I had to answer because I met my wonderful husband Jeremy in Chattanooga, Tn at a church youth camp when we were 13! i am originally from knoxville, Tn and my husband is from all over the place but spent most of his teenage and college years in chattanooga and cleveland,Tn. We both attended lee university in cleveland. We know live in GA, and love it. My husband works at a church in Marietta.
    Thought the common interests were kinda neat.
    Congratulations on the birth of your little man. Boys are wonderful!

  55. DId you do this project simply in word, or did you use a program to do it? I love the idea, and am a little stumped how to do it. BTW I found your blog through Young House Love, and LOVE it!!!!!

  56. Hi Lynn,
    Nice to meet a new friend. Especially since obviously we have the same taste in blogs 🙂 As for your question, I just used Paint to make different words different sized font and moved them around until they looked good to me.
    XO – Katie

  57. I just found your blog a few weeks ago so I’ve been going through some of the archives for some ideas on decorating our new house. I had to smile when I saw your word art. My dad is from TN and my mom is from NJ (Tabernacle to be exact). I hope you won’t mind if I borrow the same cities and same layout for my own word wall art 🙂 Love your blog!

  59. Just found you this week through Chez Larsson, and have been going through your archives – a month each day! (or more! Though I am trying to limit it to that… ’cause a girl has to eat and sleep, too.)

    I was born and raised in Orange County, CA (in too many suburbs to count), but I have been a happy Oregonian since I came here for college at 17. I love Portland like I’ve never loved any other place. Guess you just know “home” when you find it!

  60. I am also back reading a little since I’m new here, but I’m also from NJ! And I currently live in Burlington county. I had a hunch you were from the area, since Burlington, Cherry Hill and Princeton are right at the top. Now I like you even more! 🙂

  62. I’m way late on this one, but I am going through your archives too, and wanted to say I live in Victoria, British Columbia (Canada). I was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and moved to Edmonton, Alberta where I lived from when I was five till six years ago. Your Canadian readers seem to be in a cluster! I am married and my wife is from Ramsgate, Kent (England). I think this would be an awesome project!

  63. Ack! No way! I went back and looked at your old art, too. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Cherry Hill, Tabernacle, and Hello Medford Lakes! I currently live in Medford, NJ!
    I’m a transplant from Raleigh, NC but my hubby is originally from Mt. Holly (now Lumberton, NJ). Being from the south, you seem SO Georgian to me! And I mean that in the nicest way possible – believe me! Love to you from your reverse transplant twin! Oh, and I love the art! 😀

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