You know when everything falls on the same week? Thats what is happening to me this week-actually this whole month. They say to be careful what you pray for because you just might get it and I am finding that to be true. I always pray for God to bless this business and this month he is pouring out the blessings! Every time I turn around there is a new project and I cannot begin to explain how giddy that makes me. I like being busy. I like it even more when it is due to things I enjoy. The only slight problem with this busyness is the fact that I also have two boys (not school-age yet) and a home to take care of as well. Juggling would be an understatement right now and the fear of dropping the ball (pun intended) is what is motivating me to get it all done. Well not all of it, if you could see some of the mess and unfinished projects in my own house you would die!
So, that was a lot of talking to explain that I am very proud of finding time to knock out a little DIY project. And when I say “a little” time I mean it literally. This project took all of about an hour and cost less than $10!! I, like probably all moms struggle with finding a place for all that precious artwork my sons bring home. Every piece seems sentimental and I feel horrible just throwing it away. I have a system for keeping some of it but I didn’t have any method for displaying some throughout the year. In comes my DIY art wall…
This wall you see below is between my son’s room and a bathroom. It is seen by anyone who comes into our house and it used to have this painting awkwardly hanging there. I swear I think there was a nail there when we moved in so we just stuck it up there.
BEFORE:
Thats a map of Paris if you are wondering |
This wall also has a crack running across it. You can hardly see it in this picture but is runs horizontally below the nail. Old houses often have mysterious cracks that show up so I’ve learned.
My simple solution to the crack was to just paint over it with a broad dark grey stripe. I wanted to use chalkboard paint but I didn’t have any on hand and I wanted this project done NOW. Come to find out I can just write with chalk on the paint. It doesn’t rub off as pretty but I don’t plan to remove or change the words anyway. Thats my “fancy” writing 🙂
The two teal frames below the stripe will house my boys’ school pictures. I needed a place to hang those as well so this was the perfect opportunity to combine both. I will switch out the picture with the school year or season and their picture will hang over their art.
Beneath the teal frames I hung white frames to house the artwork. I just hung the frame directly on the wall sans the glass or backing so I can rotate art easily and not smash the more 3D work. I alternated the frames horizontally and vertically so they can hold different sizes of work. I have just been using a little piece of Scotch tape to hang them.
AFTER:
So the finished wall looks like this. I aligned the frames down the middle so that they still look neat and I only hung a couple for now while I still have a toddler who would most certainly pull down anything within reach. I just ordered their school pics so I don’t have them to frame yet but I am loving how it turned out so far.
With these faces going in the frames, I am pretty sure the final wall is only going to get cuter!!
{Sources: paint: craft paint I had on hand, chalk: stolen from my kids art easel, teal frames: Target clearance rack= $2.50/pair, white frames: IKEA= $2/each}
Lauren says
LOVE it!!!! I'm totally going to steal this from you. Any thoughts on how to do something very similar but avoid the paint? Since we rent we don't have the freedom of paint.
desingpostinteriors@hotmail.com says
How about just tacking up a cute triangle garland with the letters "o-u-r
a-r-t" or your child's name.