A few weeks ago, we had people over our place on a Sunday evening for drinks, grilled meats, and the usual enjoyment of a Southern California day in our backyard. One of Matt's friends from school came with his adorable girlfriend, which was a welcome addition to our usual group of six or so.

At one point, I came in from outside to check on the food or something, and I caught our new friend standing in our living room, intently staring at the wall.

"It's like you live in Pinterest," she said, studying each individual photograph in the 84 image collage. "It's so cool."

"Thanks!" I replied. "It was easy!"

And it really was. I mean, I get it, I suppose. What I think of as a simple little weekend project gives a lot of people anxiety. The fear of a project becoming overwhelming, or worse-- terrible once it's complete-- tends to hold people back. I know it does for me.

But I've always been one to decorate. I've never been the type of renter who throws their hands up and says "nope! Can't change a thing!" when trying to live somewhere. I usually don't paint, but I will bang nails in the walls, and cover the cabinets in temporary wallpaper, or sometimes hang fabric everywhere, and occasionally even stick seven dozen photos to the wall with removable adhesive.

It happens.

But the result is always a place that feels like home, whether we live there just a year or longer. I may be thousands of miles from where I grew up, but this little apartment in the San Fernando Valley feels like it's just where I'm meant to be.

While I usually come to this place armed with a recipe and/or memory of something delicious, I wanted to switch things up a bit today (and maybe once a week going forward? Maybe?) and offer up something free for the public!

I may or may not take my Photoshop skills for granted sometimes, but I feel that I'm quick with the friendly charity work, like Christmas cards and birthday invites and whatever else my people seem to need from time to time. Everyone knows they can reach out for quick design projects, because I absolutely love to do it.

On that note, I made this wifi sign for our place last month before we had some weekend house guests. Since then, I'll stick it in the living room if we're having a bunch of people over, so no one has to ask. When friends come over and want to show you a video of a pug who pees while standing on his two front paws, you want them to be on your wifi network. Obviously.

So! You'll need an 8x10" frame, a printer, and some heavy cardstock or matte photo paper.

If you're like the general public and do not have Photoshop (no judgments!) you can download a blank PDF here. Then, you can pop it in a glass frame and draw over the glass with some chalk paint to display your wifi network and password. This is especially handy if your password changes often to incentivize your kids do chores (again, no judgments. That is genius.)

Happy almost-December, everyone.

While the Christmas season certainly means more to me than gratuitous consumerism, I must admit I got swept up in the Black Friday holiday hoopla this year.
Armed with a day off and hellbent intent to give our living room a facelift, Matty and I set out on an adventure that involved a UHaul (to pick up free hand-me-down couches from my friend Courtney) and a few hours (yep, hours) at Best Buy.

After never giving in to the flat-TV need for years, I was finally ready to toss our old tube television out on the sidewalk and get rid of the old brown couches we'd been working with since we moved in--one of which Ozzie had nearly destroyed by gnawing at a small hole in the cushion daily until it became a nearly two-foot rip. Thanks, dawg.

But anyway.
We emerged victorious with a 50" flat screen, two microfiber red couches, and a new gray shag rug. But, upon returning home, it became increasingly clear that mounting the TV over the fireplace mantle as I'd envisioned would be an issue. The guys searched for studs, but came up blank. After some drilling, it became clear that the dry wall over the mantle was just covering the brick chimney behind it. We toyed with keeping a TV stand or choosing a different wall, but Matt knew just how badly I wanted the room laid out. He went down to the wood shop in the basement and got to work.

Notice: This is not so much a tutorial as it will be a "look what I made" and some insight into my hackneyed skills. You have been warned.




I've been trying to get craftier in my day-to-day life. I really have.
I have purchased some tools and gizmos, in fits of inspiration off Amazon.
I have sanded a coffee table and applied an initial coat of crazy-bright lime green paint (love it).
And I have Pinned a bunch of things. Obviously.

But as goes the sunlight in the late afternoon these days, time and ambition are hard to come by when you're working full time and pursuing other interests (eating all the things and taking photos of all the edible and non-edible things).
But. I'm trying.
And by adding a nav bar item and tag for DIY and crafts, I hope to expand my posts to include art with more traditional mediums and simple solutions for daily decor and life. While graphic design and Photoshop are a pillar of my creativity, I am trying to step away from the glow of the Mac screen from time to time.
Being unplugged feels nice sometimes.
And creating something tangible feels even better.

So, I believe I noted somewhat recently, that dear old Neverbroken.com is about to get a bit of a facelift: from blog to brand, this here site will soon be home to various handmade goods and design concepts for home, weddings, and events.

While we're on the subject of weddings, I may as well share the exploits of my crafty Sunday spent with a (few) bottle(s) of wine and my dearest friend/college roommate Court. Court is marrying my buddy Andy at the Boston Public Library (swooooooon) come January. Like me, Courtney has great taste (ha) and a firm believer in DIY-ing it whenever you can. I'd say our labor paid off: