I have something sooooo fun to show you!
Heidi Swapp has designed an entire collection of Gallery Wall pieces, accessories & supplies that will be in Michaels Stores in just a few weeks and I've just completed my very first wall!
Ok, ok...I'm getting ahead of myself...
First off...you all know what a gallery wall is, correct?
I couldn't find a "real" definition anywhere - so I made this one up...
A gallery wall is a wall that contains a grouping of favorite prints, letters, paintings, knick-knacks, or whatever that all have a certain theme or color scheme or feeling or size...or don't.
To me, a gallery wall is a place to hang pretty much whatever makes you happy...whether it "goes together" or not. I really feel like art is so subjective...if you like it, hang it. Your home and how you decorate it is about what makes you happy...not about rules or convention.
So, here's the wall I decided to re-do. This is a small little wall at the bottom of a short flight of stairs that goes from our kitchen down to our family room. That's a bathroom on the left and the door to our family room is on the right. The wall is only about 3 feet wide - so there's not a ton of space to decorate...but I've always loved a challenge...
This is what I had hanging before. A frame with a boxwood wreath in it.
Yep.
High-class decorating folks.
I always kind of liked the look of it...but it was pretty plain. And it never really felt right - you know what I mean?
Here's what's there now...eeeeeeeeeek!
AAAAAAAAAAAAACK! I KNOW!
I LOVE IT!
Here...let's take a closer look at some of the pieces. We'll start in the upper-left corner and work our way down...
This beautiful white frame - and the print inside it! - are all part of one piece in Heidi's new collection. The frame contains a polka-dot mat (!) that can be Color Shine'd or painted in any color you like, but I chose to turn mine around and just go with plain white for my wall. The print inside is Color Shine-able, too! I chose Heidi's new Hot Pink Color Shine and I think it adds just the right pop of bright color to this can-be-super-dark space.
OK...moving right...
The gold frame is from my own collection (like $1 at Goodwill). I left it empty because I think it's just so beautiful on its own.
The print just to the right of that is part of a pack of prints in the Gallery Wall collection and reads "NEVER LOSE YOUR SENSE OF wonder." I used one of Heidi's new gold bulldog clips to hang it. Doesn't this look so darling?
OH! Before I go any further...I used Command Velcro Strips to hang every piece on this wall...those things are awesome...
I wanted to add a bit of personalization to the wall, so I took a frame that had been stored away in my basement and added some black and white photos to it. The coolest thing about this frame?
It used to be black.
What???
I know!
In this new Gallery Wall collection there are 4 different sets of Paint Distress Kits! I used the Faux Gold Kit to transform this frame into something that I love again...
The next piece is, without doubt, one of my favorites...
Oh my gosh...he's the cutest.
This piece is actually a white metal plaque that I've attached navy blue glitter paper and metal stud stickers to. Then I just hot-glued a gold spray-painted toy giraffe to the front...boom.
The plaque, glitter paper, stud stickers & chain are ALL part of the new collection...I know...I'm still in awe of it all...
Right below my little friend is another of my favorites...
This white frame is larger than the first one I showed you...and comes with a striped Color Shine-/paint-able mat. I used black paint from one of the Distress Kits to add these beautiful bold black stripes to mine. And instead of the print that comes with the frame I chose to screen print one of the beautiful new Art Screens with Gold Art Screen Ink (again - all available in the new collection).
The mix of the floral pattern with the stripes...
I kinda love it.
Now, just below my photo frame is this piece:
This was fun to put together...
I used a white frame (from Target) - filled it with one of the 6 brand new patterned roll papers that are part of the collection (that cork/gold foil!) and added one of Heidi's brand new canvas/foil prints to the top of the frame glass. In order to tie in the blue glitter from above, I cut a small piece of the paper and added it to one side of the gold-foiled heart.
Ummmm...yeah.
And finally...this little guy...
These "pallet boards" are actually made of paper and are COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE. I painted mine white and used Heidi's new foam stamps to add "FIVE" - the number of people in our family. I think this completely ties the wall together and adds just a little more personalization.
And that's it!
I'm so happy with this brand new gallery wall. I really think it adds just SO MUCH to the space. And I LOVE glancing down and seeing it when I'm standing in the kitchen cooking. The gold/white/hot pink/black/navy combo is seriously doin' it for me right now...
Want more info on how I completed each piece? Don't fret...it's coming. Keep an eye out for further instructions in the next few weeks.
And get excited for this AMAZING new collection! You'll be able to find everything in Michaels soon...so keep checking!
