Photo Wall progress

After painting our bedroom, we realized how bare our walls were. So, with inspiration from Young House Love, I started working on a photo wall. I gathered up all the frames in our house that weren't being used, as well as some that I had got last year at the church rummage sale. I love old frames, the real wood and glass pane ones (sidenote: I do not love, however, trying to wrangle the glass back into the frame and slicing up my fingers), they have such character.

I spent the weekend spray painting all the frames white; I ended up using 2 cans of Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch, gloss white. I should have used 3, but by the time I finished the second can, my finger needed a break, haha. It was really hot this weekend (high 80s, low 90s) with high humidity, so some of the frames bubbled a little. I might sand the edges and distress them a bit to add more character.

Instead of guessing where the frames would go, I cut templates out of newspaper and hung them on the wall. This way should minimize the number of 'oops' nail holes. I'm hoping.

Beautiful, isn't it?

 I also spray painted a couple display cubes, which will hold some little momentos, like our Dutch kissing couple cake topper.

Taking more inspiration from Young House Love, the the 7 sign, I found a piece of scrap wood that the previous owner left. I think it was from our floor or something; it's the same stain. I cut out a number 13 (I was born on the 13th, engaged on the 13th, married on the 13th, and found out I was pregnant on the 13th) on my Cricut--amazing little machine, isn't it?--and used it as a template to paint the wood but leave the 13 with the stained wood showing through.

 

I distressed it with sandpaper, a paint key, the bottom of a spray paint can, a rotary cutter, and the handle of our kitchen shears. Basically, whatever was within reach :) All it needs now is a sawtooth hanger on the back, and we can hang it up with the rest of the frames and knick knacks.