Gallery Wall

Every year we take pictures of the kids and update our wall.  The pictures of the kids are usually "landscape" meaning they're horizontal, but this year they're "portrait"...so I had to change things around a bit.  I was worried that two layers of portrait pictures of that size would be too tall.  But I think it works any way.  I needed six things to make a square so I filled one in with the "D"

...because I'm NOT going to have

another baby just so my

gallery wall will be

complete :)

I taped everything off with blue painter's tape (used a level and ruler, too) before hanging the pictures so everything would be even.  It makes it way easier...and in the end you have fewer nail holes in the wall :)

Christmas Decor!

I love the classic look of stockings hung above the fireplace.  I wasn't sure how to achieve that without making a bunch of holes across my fireplace.  Sure I could put hooks up, but then what would I do with them for the remaining 10 months of the year?

So a few years ago, I bought a piece of trim from Home Depot and cut it to the length I wanted.  I painted it red and glazed it with black.  On the back I put two jagged hangers (the kind you see on the back of picture frames that look like teeth) and on the front I screwed in little hooks.  I only needed to use two nails to hang it up.

I finally was able to hang stockings above our fireplace without beating it all up!  I had to rearrange the hooks, fill in holes and repaint it all just to add another hook for Violet.  Now we're all accounted for!

I bought these star-bursts from Walmart last year and hung them from the ceiling above the bar, but this year I hung them from our chandelier in the dining room.  They're a fun (and cheap) way to add some pizzazz and color :)

Fabric Strip Wreath

I wanted to hang wreaths in the windows in my living room and couldn't find anything I liked.  So I bought some simple fabric and straw wreaths.  I tore the fabric in long strips about 3" in width.

I decided what would be the back of my wreath and with a sharpie drew a line around it.  That way when I turn the wreath around I won't forget which is the front side.

 

With hot glue, I attached the end of the first fabric strap and then began wrapping it around the wreath, over lapping the layers by an inch or so.  Every few times around I would secure the fabric down with hot glue so it would stay in place.  I made sure I always glued on the back side.  I used a few strips for each wreath.

I threaded a fat piece of ribbon through the valance on my blinds and around the wreath.  I tied it in a knot and slid the knot behind the valance. 


I made three :)