A for Effort

Post by Sarah:


Helllooo..
I'm Back with more changes and a lot of epic failures. Don't worry.. the story does have a happy ending.

So, this whole change started in my living room:

Basically a nicely arranged mess.

Yes, the one in the center even has it's goodwill tag on it.

So, I've been collecting all this art to eventually make a small scale gallery wall.  At this point I thought I was there but that I just needed a few of those in new frames with nicer mats. 

Off to Micheal's I went for their 40% off frame sale.


I grabbed a couple of frames that were ok.. and decided I would make them work because they were cheap.  I got them home and put my prints in them and ended up with this:

Two-thumbs down.  I hated it.  I'm not sure if it's the mat or the frame color.. ?  But my gut instinct was to return them and try again.



Back to Micheal's..   Ugh.  Luckily the frame sale was still going on.  So I returned and re-purchased these bad boys:

Which are way more my style!  Hooray!



So I laid all my prints out on the rug.  And I must say that I was pretty pleased with myself at this point. 

I'm actually looking at this picture as I type thinking "Hmm.. maybe I need to give this a go one more time.."  
The white one in the middle was also undergoing it's own special process - more on that later.




Oh. The. Suspense!





 So up my prints go on the wall (I reversed the layout) and things are going as well as me and hanging pictures can possibly go.

When I suddenly realize I have a light switch problem.

  Yes, folks - you should always be aware of your picture size vs. wall space ratio.  I wish it would've been as simple as a little scootch to the left, but at the point I actually measured and the large flower print was going to hug my thermostat.

So, yet another fail.



Oh!Oh!  Hey! ..  Did anyone notice the now "wood" frame leaning against the light switch.  Shaazam! (more on that in a later post.. ) 




I removed everything and played with smaller gallery-type groupings.  Screamed, kicked, and cried a little.
Then..  hung this:
It was actually my third attempt and I finally had to get Cody involved.  And I literally did scream, kick, and cry and forgot to take pictures.  :)

And then a calm wave of relief rushed over me.

So although I really liked my first attempt..  I've got to be honest with myself and the fact that I've always preferred the less is more route.  And this scaled down version is a bit more up my alley.

 

And there you have it.  Total project cost was $12.00 for the two frames (I ended up going back to Micheal's a 3rd time to return the one larger frame I no longer had a use for)

And for the final before and after:

1. Both the smaller hanging frames got re-framed. Twice!
2. The small frame leaning against the wall got a new mat
3. I also updated with some accessories I had on hand.

I also put about 20 nail holes in the wall.
Oh jeez...
Did I mention I'm a renter?


<3 Sarah