"Where We Came From" Wall

My ongoing project in my room is finally COMPLETE! I am so thrilled to finally be able to post this! My husband is very sentimental... as I am too (he would just beg to differ). He is sentimental in the little things (all things), and I am more sentimental with few things! But, we both hold very dear to our hearts "Where we came from..." our family!

Therefore, when I had a huge open wall available in my room, I knew the project would be this: find all the pictures possible from both of families of where we came from... grandparents, great grandparents, parents, etc... anything and everything! The oldest pictures that could be found, were found.

So lets get started on how this all started and how it panned out...

First of all was the picture frame search. As many of you shoppers out there know, frames aren't cheap. My first SCORE was going to a garage sell many months ago and landing about 10 picture frames at .$10 each! So, for a $1 my project had officially started!

Then, I took a $2 can of off-white spray paint (to match our colors in our room), carefully took out all the glass pieces, and began spraying!

Ok, after that was complete they hung empty on my wall and out of the wall for a while. I knew this would be a time consuming project and wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to tackle it!

We had made a trip back in June to NC for a wedding and in the mean time was able to stop in and see Parker's family. Me and his mom (Cheryl) had a great time one evening looking through tons of pictures and scanning my favorites. That was one more step in progress (slowly coming along)...

Then for my pictures, I waited til my mom had some time to look through pictures with me and we had a great time of laughing through memories and missing loved ones as we saw them. What beautiful thing it is that we are able to have pictures to reminisce on! I love Pictures!!!

With a few steps left to do, I knew they would be the most challenging ones... so I waited til I had a long morning and sure enough... this past Saturday Parker was working, I was caught up on the house and on hair bows... so I began to tackle the next steps! After going through pictures I quickly realized that 10 frames was not enough.. so I had to get more so I first went to Goodwill (first Saturday of the month the whole store is 50% off) and I was able to get about 11 more picture frames!

Well, I then came home, measured each frame and carefully marked how many pictures of each size I would need (TIME CONSUMING!). After that was complete I printed pictures off.... and I was soooo close to being done!

I contemplated spray painting all the frames off white, and then I thought it may give an eclectic look if I don't spray the new frames, so I didn't... I collaged the pictures on the floor like I wanted and carefully hung them each on the wall! And almost with tears in my eyes, the project was finished... I can't go in my room without loving on that wall! It is more than just a wall... It is Where We Came From!

(Oh and do you like my chandelier? Craigslist find for $15!!!)

Thanks for hanging with me on this post... I know it was long, but I had to share the details since I have been waiting SO long to finish this and share!

Made to Fit Signs {How To}

With my new crackled island came a desire to paint other things that same color... so...

I found some old picture frames lying around the house that I had not been using and went to work.

What you Need:

2 old picture frames

Paint color of your choice

piece of scrapbook paper

wood letters of desired word (Hobby Lobby- $.49 a letter)

hot glue gun and sticks

Getting to Work.

First of all take all the backing off of both frames. This will allow you to paint the frames without getting paint all over the glass.

Then paint the frame your desired color (you could even spray paint... this would be quick and easy).

Once the frames are done drying you can begin putting the frame back together. For the frame with words (such as my "Cafe" one) you can leave off the cardboard backing and just place the glass back inside. For the dry erase frame- take the scrapbook color of choice and cut and size it to the frame and glue it (I used hot glue) to the cardboard.

Your dry erase board is now complete... I use mine as a "Menu" board and "Shopping List", feel free to use it however it fits in your house!

With your letters, you can leave them a rustic wood color or paint them your desired color.

Once the paint is dry you can hot glue them to the glass of the frame.

Total of Project:

$6

Pallet Shelving {How To}

Wood pallets... who would have thought that they would come so in handy.... besides for the Lowe's crew who needs to use them for transporting.

Ok... so we simply went into Lowe's and asked the front manager if we could snag a few of his pallets... willing to get rid of them, he let us have however many we wanted as long as we didn't take them all!

Materials Needed:

-Wood Pallet: FREE

-Stain (If desired)- we have one with stain and one without- my husband will only let me put 2 in the house :).

- Stain Paint Brush

-Scrap piece of wood if you desire to make a extra shelve. (We used a 1x8) You can tack this down with wood glue and brad nails.

- Sand paper to

To Do:

Simply stain your pallet and wait for it to dry! Figure out a place to put it... you could always put it in your kitchen for a country feel to display cookbooks or pretty platters... or in a bathroom for extra shelving for decoration... or like I did... in my TV room with mood lighting!

Check out other ways to make a wood pallet useful HERE.

Hanging Picture Mural

This is one of my most recent projects... it was a blast looking through pictures and finding the perfect fits... from dogs, to family, scenery, and marriage... it's all life and it's all a blast!

It was easy and cheap! Months ago I found a old window on the side of the road... obviously I pulled over and snatched it... Well the dilemma came when I didn't know what to do with it... then viola I saw a picture of something to this affect I made a couple tweaks and then made it my own!

Here we go...

First... find a old window or picture frame... you can find them at your local thrift store or humanity resale store.

Secondly... (this was my favorite part), look through and find apx. 20 pics (this will be determined by the size of the frame or window)

Thirdly, if desired polarize your pics... you can do this so easily here and for free!

Fourth... go to your local convenient store and print your pictures off. It might run you anywhere from $10-$12.

Fifth... look in your drawers and you should be able to find some type of string or ribbon (I used ribbon). Evenly place the ribbon across the frame, spacing enough for pictures to hang well.

Sixth... Use clips or Clothes pins, as I did, to clip your pictures to the frame.

Total for Project:

Apx: $15

You now have your own personalized and memorable hanging mural... congratulations!

How To {Wall Art}

Me and my dear husband absolutely love life and the simplicities within it. There are many things we hold as priorities and many things that we try to balance within that. We have recently added our newest addition to our living room that is a reminder to our priorities and things we continue to try and balance.

I recently came across something like this that was a resemblance of art found in the pottery barn magazine and I could not pass the idea up! So let me share the steps on how to achieve this!

Things you will Need:

- Apx. 10-15 fill it strips (found at Home Depot NOT at Lowes)

- 4-1x2 pieces of wood

- Color of Stain of your choice (we went with vinegar and steel wool mixture, which we will blog about soon)

- Rubber Stamps (found at Michaels for $3.00)

- Desired color of paint for the letters (we went with off white stencil paint)- $.88 at Michaels

- Several quotes or phrases

- Time!

How To:

* First of all figure out the desired height and width you want the frame to be.

* Once you have done your measurements, cut down the edges to desired height and width

* Cut the fill it strips to fit within your frame.

* We used a nail compressor to nail the fill it strips to the compressor , but you could use hammer and nails just as easy!

* Once your frame is put together you can begin staining.

* Allow Apx. 1-3 hrs. for stain to completely dry.

* You can now begin stamping on your phrases and quotes. I painted the paint on my stamp and then pressed it... this allowed for a rustic look as well as fewer smudge marks.

* Voila you are finished and it is ready to place on your wall!