Monday, March 25, 2013

While the Mud Dried...

This weekend was all about mending fences cracks in our fireplace wall.  Unfortunately, it was an-ever-so-slow process {the joint compound I used said to wait 24 hours between coats...bleh}, so I was forced to take on another project to occupy my time.

Lucky for me, when I was cleaning out our 2nd guest bedroom...aka the place where I store all my craft/project crap...I created two big piles of frames.  What the heck could a blogger do with a superfluous amount of frames?!?!  Create the very first gallery wall, EVER, in Internet history!!! ;)

For those of you who are over gallery walls...my apologies.  Please just avert your eyes, and wait for my next post about crack{s}.

I previously hung a mini-me gallery wall in our dining room, but I quickly swapped that out for some DIY picture ledges.  Since I didn’t want another cluster of frames in our very open living/dining room, I figured our hallway would be a great place to experiment, a la YHL.

We already have a few frames up in there.  They helped to fill the blank wall space, and they also sorta-kinda-maybe helped to camouflage our ugly thermostat.  I liked the look, but it didn’t knock my socks off.  I’ll be the first to admit...rarely do I get things “right” on the first try, if ever.  And even if I happen to nail it, I’m usually switching things up down the road.  It’s just how I am.  I like to tweak and make things fresh.  {Although I know a few of you are rolling your eyes, thinking...ummmm, gallery walls aren’t “fresh”.  I know, I know...but they are for my little hallway, so just pretend that this is a wonderful, albeit, not-brand-new idea.}

Technically, I have four walls to fill in our hallway.  {The spaces are broken up by alcoves to linen closets, a bathroom and a bedroom.}  I wanted to begin with the wall we’d see the most...the one visible from the kitchen.

I started by removing the two frames that were previously up, and I had all the other frames/things to hang in piles around me.  I just put things together like a puzzle until I liked what I saw.  Helpful tip {for me at least}: take a  picture of everthing once you settle on a layout.  It will help greatly when you are standing there wondering if you had that frame horizontally or vertically, etc. You'll be suprised at how quickly you forget...or maybe that's just me.


Then I took out some left over rosin paper from when we covered up our newly re-finished hardwoods.  I took each frame from the group, traced it and cut it out so I had a paper representation of it.


Once all the pieces were cut out, I taped them up on my wall.  I wanted to get the height, spacing and layout on the actual wall itself without any commitment.



I called the hubby over to see if he approved {because you know I wouldn’t have gone a step further if he didn’t like it ;) hehe}, and I got a big thumbs up.

That’s when I busted out my trusty 3M picture hanging strips and got down to business.  These things are amazingggg.  They are literally holding up everything in our house that they can.  Depending on the size and weight of your frame, you just stick the size and number of strips you need on the back of your frame...then when you are ready to hang them, peel the other side off...stick to the wall.  Press for 30 seconds, and voila!  You have a picture hung without any holes in the wall.

Of course, after you stick the frame to the wall for 30 seconds, you should remove the picture frame for 1 hour...and then put it back.  I may {or may not} have followed that rule, but they do tell you to do it that way in the instructions. ;)

One by one, I removed one “paper” frame and replaced it with a real one.  I used my level app on my iPhone to make sure things were pretty level, but I also used my stencil on the wall to see if things appeared straight.  {Old houses never have level walls.  I’d rather the frames seem level with my stencil pattern and wall, than level with...well, the Earth.}

Here's an picture from my last hanging experience to demonstrate my leveling abilities.


In no time, I went from this...


...to this!



That leaves me with three more walls to go.  Oh, and I also need to put some actual pictures, fabric, quotes, pretty paper, etc. in the frames.  Who wants to bet that I’ll be done with this project before the fall?!?!

PS-This post was not sponsored by 3M...I just religiously use their products to hang anything in my house that I can.  I've had nothing but success with them, so I wanted to pass along the tip to my awesome readers!

46 comments:

  1. I love, love that wallpaper!!

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    1. Thanks Kari!! But it's actually a stencil I painted on the wall! :)

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  2. I love gallery walls. I don't think they ever go out of style ;) It's on my list for when we get to makeover the foyer...10 years from now...just kidding! 9 years from now...NO!...but really...xo Kristin

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    1. Me too!! {Clearly haha.} Aw, hopefully it's sooner than 9 years. ;)

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  3. love it and i would personally like to meet the person who is over gallery walls... um no one.

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  4. Your gallery wall looks great! Want to come over and tackle mine? I attempted to put one up and then promptly threw a temper tantrum after 3.2 seconds haha

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  5. oh gallery walls are a classic now...always in style :) yours looks perfect!

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  6. Looks great! I love gallery walls and agree with everyone here that they are never going out of style... which is great because mine has been like a billion years in the making! ;)

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    1. Thanks Erika! Don't worry...I take forever to finish mine too. I'm really hoping I get our hallway done before summer rolls around haha! ;)

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  7. Ohhh me likey! I've been wanting to use those 3M strips for the longest time! I've heard nothing but great things on them!

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    1. Thanks Jenn Leigh! I definitely think you should use them...pretty soon you won't know how you went without them. ;)

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  8. You sold me on the 3M strips. My husband will be so happy!!!!!!!!!!!! :-) (love the wall, too!)

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    1. You will be too...makes picture hanging a lot easier! :) Thanks Katie!!

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  9. That stencil wall makes me drool...not sure I have the patience but hot damn it looks good!! As a renter, I couldn't agree more that 3M products are the greatest. I'll probably still use them when we buy a house :)

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    1. Aw, thanks Jamie!! It's definitely a tedious job, but the results are totally worth it. ;) 3M definitely rocks for renters...and for homeowners too, because then, no patching holes! Woohoo! :)

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  10. Fancy gallery wall!! Love the mixture.

    I started a gallery wall almost 2 years ago. I only had half of the frames hanging. No pictures. I just took it down and I'm going to start over. Thanks for the motivation!

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    1. Thanks Michelle! I can understand your lack of motivation for completing your gallery wall. I'm shocked I finished 1/4 of mine in one "sitting". Hopefully I complete the rest of the hallway before summer, or eeeek...even fall, creeps around! ;)

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  11. Looks great! Love that unfinished Z too. Looks perfect unpainted/unstained.

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  12. Looks great! I like that you used a mix of finishes, not just all one color frames.

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  13. Wait for your next post all about crack(s) = Bahahahaaa!!!!!

    I like it! I can go either way with most gallery walls, but you did a really nice job of keeping it interesting and perfect for the space. Muy bueno!

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    1. Hahaha...I really can't wait to write about it just so I can make a post titled "Crack is Whack". {Yes, I'm a twelve year old sometimes hahaha.}

      Thanks friend! :)

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  14. Gallery wall or not, I absolutely love that stencil, and I think it's even nicer looking now with the frames. I honestly thought that was you and your husband In one of those (duh). I have used those hanging stips, and also love them, can't wait to see that crack post ;)

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    1. Thank you very much, Kristel!! Haha, don't feel bad because when I posted the pictures on the blog, I realized it looks like the large frame was possibly filled with a picture already haha. 3M rocks! :)

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  15. Love the view of them from the kitchen! Perfect!

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  16. It's perfect, Gabbi! So these 3M strips....what happens when you take down the picture, say after a year or so? Is there any sticky stuff on the wall? I probably need to look into these bad boys!

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    1. Thanks Whitney!! When you take the picture down, you just pull down on the tab that is stuck to the wall, and presto, it stretches and just comes off! No sticky mess, no paint peeled off...it looks like nothing was ever there!! Amazeballs. And yes, you need to get them! :)

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  17. Love the gallery wall!! I definitely need to get on the 3M band wagon when I add frames to our living room. Oh! And I definitely need to download the level app on my iphone!

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    1. Thanks Cara!! :) Yes, definitely use them when you add frames to any wall. They are my go-to. And honestly, I'm shocked at how much I use my iPhone level app...it's so handy for DIY'ers.

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  18. Love it. It's looking great! I might have to start using the 3M strips too.

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    1. Thanks Julia!! Definitely use them...you won't regret it! :)

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  19. What a difference it makes! I love it! And I'm with you in that gallery walls are still fresh and exciting :)

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  20. Love it! It looks fantastic! I have been working on our gallery wall for 2 years and I am still not done... so many empty frames and canvas' haha. I like that you mixed the white and black frames and I love that Z!

    ps- I still love gallery walls : ) Each one ends up unique anyways.

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    1. Thanks so much, Christine! I'm glad I'm not the only one who procrastinates when it comes to hanging gallery walls. :)

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  21. Love it! I desperately need to get some of those hanger things. I am still kicking myself for not using them in the nursery.
    I agree with Christine-love gallery walls, and they always look different depending on the house/owner!

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    1. Thanks! They seriously help me get over my fear of hanging things haha. Using the picture hanging strips makes things feel a lot less permanent and damaging. :)

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  22. Gabbi it looks AWESOME!! I love the gallery...and look at you being all perfect and using a level! Point One for 3M strips...all of mine that have a nail and a string are constantly shifting and looking all wonky! Also, I'm jealous that your last name has such a cool letter. "Z" is so much more fun than "M".

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    1. Thanks so much, Lynds! :) Aw, an "M" is a pretty letter too!!

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  23. It looks awesome!

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