Photo Collage Bomb

I’m currently in the demanding throws of a big, much-more-tedious-than-I-thought-it-would-be project so we’re going back a few months to a project I did that didn’t turn out quite as I wanted it to.  You see, we’ve had this big, blank wall in our dining area that has just been screaming for some something to break it up: 

Fortunately, the diy hoarder inside me has a stock pile of random frames waiting to be spainted (spray painted, yes I made it up) and found a wall home.  Here are the chosen ones for this particular endeavor:After much scheming, I decided to copy the incredible John and Sherry over at Young House Love, and put up a collage very similar to the one in their first home’s living room.  I even stole their magazine monogram idea, except I made mine in Photoshop.

The first step was to spaint the mats in each frame white so that they’d all match.  For a couple of the thrifted frames, this involved removing their paper backing to get inside: 

 Side note:  Since the glass and mat were held in with nails, it wasn’t necessary to replace the backing…since they hang with their backs towards the wall, no one is any wiser.

The next step was getting all of the frames the same color.  Aqua, white, oil-rubbed bronze, silver…I went back and forth, back and forth until I finally just called it and settled on silver.  I wanted a semi-shiny, brushed on silver though so instead of going with my norm, spray paint, I headed on over to Michael’s (with a coupon of course) where I picked up some Liquid Leaf and hand painted those babies with it…aaaand hated it.  (You quick ones might’ve noticed the fast one I was trying to pull…I switched out two of the above frames I thought I was going to use for two more thrifted frames shown in the pic above.  I just couldn’t bring myself to paint the pretty white ones another color.)

It was much to matte and darker than I had in mind.  Boo.  Lucky for me, I had a can of silver spaint in my stash so they each got a quick coat.  A few hours of drying time and some photos later and up they went:

Final verdict?

I hated it. I don’t like the silver…it looks cheap and doesn’t give the punch of flavor that wall needed.  I’m still on the fence about the layout…I might add some more frames or just change it altogether.  “Stay tuned” would be the only thing left to say about it at this point.

However, it is worth mentioning what did work during this whole semi-failed process.  To figure out the exact placing of each frame, I traced each one onto a piece of newspaper, cut the template out, and taped it up on the wall until I was satisfied.  (Sorry, can’t find the picture of said process.)  Then, to hang them in the exact spots I took a note from The Scrap Shoppe blog and made my own hanging tool out of some scrap wood which worked incredibly well and will now be used every time I decide to puncture a wall with any sort of nailed-in decor.

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Like I said above, stay tuned for this wall will change as soon as I make up my mind on the direction I want to go.  As for the present, I’d better get back to the surprise nursery project that’s testing my patience.  Details to come on that soon! 

Have a fantastic weekend!

Nursery Progress: Curtains

It’s nursery time y’all!  Why I pushed getting it together until after the peas were born, I don’t know.  It’s taking me f o  r   e    v     e      r!  However, it’s evolving thanks to some same-schedule naps the twins took this week.

Here’s what their space looked like the last time we peeked in:

And here’s what it’s lookin’ like today:

Back then:

And now:  

Much improved thanks to a little decluttering, new, girlie curtains, and a snazzy new fan fixture (and minus uno crib currently in the master).  As for the curtains, the green ones weren’t meshing with the new color scheme for the room so I officially went on the hunt for something new.  I found it in the form of some Target, patterned sheers that I scored for 5 bucks a pop, hemmed to fit, and slapped up. (Sorry for the bad picture…still working on learning how to use the DSLR.)

Pretty but the room needed some color so I went on another official hunt for some peachy-pink fabric to line the new sheers with.  After searching for fabric, sheets…something cheap…I finally settled on some thin broadcloth from Hancock Fabrics that I got for $16 during a 60% off sale.  The only issue was that the broadcloth was only 45 inches wide, whereas my sheers were 54.  So, I had to do what I do best and improvise.

To do so, I cut two 54 inch pieces of fabric for each sheer, sewed them together to create one long panel, hemmed each edge, and then hemmed each to the length of the sheer it would back.  See the connecting seam?

     Since each piece was behind a sheer, I hoped that the seam wouldn’t be visible…and I was right.  No VCLs (Visible Curtain Lines) in this neighborhood.  :) 

After all of my solid pieces were sewn and ready, I simply attached them to the sheers by making a straight stitch along the top of each, connecting them.

I attached the solid backing a little lower than flush with the top of the sheer because instead of hanging the curtains from the top like so:

I wanted them to cover up the rod.  By sewing them the aforementioned way, I was able to attach the ring clips solely to the backing (if this makes any sense at all) like this:

So, up went the window curtains and presto: Another bad pic but you get what I’m throwin’ down…er, puttin’ up, right?  :)

 

As for the closet, it never did have doors to cover it’s insides so I went with the most simple solution of spray painting an old tension rod, slipping on some curtains rings, and hanging the similarly constructed fabric right on up.

Now we’re all pretty and privatized: 

 

Movin’ along to the fan, I found a large drum shade for $10 at a local discount store (Dirt Cheap) and simply put it up by resting it on the base of the screwed-in light bulb. 

I love the flavor and texture it adds to an otherwise b.o.r.i.n.g. but necessary light fixture.  What do you think?  Is it too big or does it fit your fancy?  I’m thinking of painting the fan blades a light taupe to match…should I or shouldn’t I?

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Well, there you have it.  A nursery fit for two.  There’s still lots and lots to be done including painting the dresser and lining it’s drawers, recovering the rocking chair (currently in our room), making some sort of a foot rest, whipping up some crib skirts, getting some stuff hung on the walls, turning a tablecloth into a rug, making a window seat cushion, and a surprise that I’m working on next!  Whew!

It might take me a few more weeks (dare I say months?) but it’s going to be the cutest nursery on the block (in my vain opinion)!  Check back in as I post my progress! 

Have a funderful, wonderful weekend!

7 Quick Takes

Yay!  This is fun!  Joining Jen again for…

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Tighty Whities

Short, simple, and long overdue is this post.  You see, when I was pregnant a few, several, couple of months ago and I still had the option of taking leisurely strolls to Goodwill and dabbling amongst its treasures, I found and happily purchased a super-nice pair of Gap maternity pants – white, wide leg, $5, and too big.  But, my best inanimate friend and I got on the ball and took those babies right in.

   Never mind the fact that in the ‘after’ picture a good ironing was needed (show me how to handle a burning hot chunk of metal whilst carrying most precious cargo and I’ll do it) and my head and feet were cut off  (only time for one tripod shot people, take it as it is) AND I’m obviously not pregnant and rocking maternity pants just for the sake of show-and-tell AND just so you know, I’m not afraid of wearing these babies post-pregnancy anyway so get over it…a four inch stretchy comfort band is much more tummy-friendly and hearkening to beloved sweat pants than buttons and zippers any day of the week.  :)

Back to alterations though, I don’t remember if I took pictures of the process and I can’t find them if I did.  However, all I did was get out one of my fave pairs of maternity skinny jeans, lay them on top of the wide maternities to use as a template lining the two pants up along the outside leg seams, drew a dashed line, and sewed along said dashed line.  I got this invaluable knowledge some time ago from Grace and here is another helpful tutorial since I’m obviously lacking in that department.  Needless to say, I’m uber excited and on a turn-all-my-old-pants-into-skinnies kick so look for more to come including hot pink cords from my early college days (not sure if they were ever in but who knew they’d be in now and I’d just happen to still have mine).

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Update:  Found those MIA pictures.  Not sure if they’re that helpful but they sure try and tell the story:  

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Also, in unfinished fashion, I’m planning on a nursery update post next week.  It’s not done by any means but it’s getting there.  Come read my plans (again) and give me an opinion or two on some indecision.

Have a fantastic weekend!

7 Quick Takes

Well hello Friday!  I decided to be extra ambitious this week and follow Jen and her cool crowd with 7 Quick Takes all my own!I’ve been wanting to jump on this bandwagon for awhile and finally climbed up.  I thought it’d be fun to do it in pictures and ‘by the number’ this week and hope I can snap away each week from here on out but we’ll see what the twins think!  Cheers to having three month olds control your life!  :)

So, without further ado: 

 

 

I’ll be back  tomorrow on the regular with a long overdue refashion!