Framing Frames: a Twist on the Gallery Wall

Gallery walls are something I often despise in a gallery but love in a home if done right. There are a few ways to go about it: you can make it modern and minimal with the same color frames and even spacing, or go for a more bohemian look with a mismatching of frames, images and spacing. I think the choice really depends on your style and decor. I went the latter route to add a little warmth to a room that leans toward minimal and modern.

So, why did I frame frames? Good question; here's the back story. I used to be a framer. When I was in grad school in Santa Barbara I framed for an art gallery and we built our own frames. That means we bought the frame in length and cut and joined them in the studio. When we would clean out the left over scraps I would make odd sized frames for myself out of the beautiful and often costly moldings.

Well, I had been carrying these frames around with us from place to place for the past thirteen years. Matt always made fun of me for it and wanted me to get rid of them, but I just couldn't bear to part with them. Being a framer I knew how much those frames cost. I would slowly frame things one by one with them throughout the years but a stack still remained.

So maybe about two months ago I was looking at this big blank wall I’d bought a large painting for that just didn't work. I thought about my frames and said, "huh, I'm gonna try this". I half did it just to make Matt laugh and half because I was in a get rid of everything mode and it was gonna be their last chance. I started composing my frames within each other and then adding some framed images in between. When I was finished I stepped back and thought, "see that's why I've been lugging you guys along all these years". So with that the new frames within frames gallery wall was born.

Get The Look:
If you like this look but don't have a stack of art frames that you have been hoarding like me have no fear just take a trip to your local thrift shops and grab a few catch your eye. There is always mirrors and odd thrift store art that you can take out easily to salvage the frame on the cheap. You may also go to frame stores and see if they have sale bins with fancy frames that were cut the wrong size.

Dip-Dyed Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

Ok all I'm back! It's been an insane two months but we did it. We somehow pulled it off and finished the inside of the house. It feels so good I can not even tell you. Is it all 100% perfect and will never be touched again? No, but it is in a great place where everything else can come slowly and with leisure. After working furiously for ten months straight we are ready to come out of hiding and enter the world again!

So after all that hard work (that you will see soon) what better way to make my return than to get down and dirty with a little home decor inspired sugary delight. Dip-dyed furniture and objects have taken the world by storm over the last few years and I say that it's due time they share the spotlight. So go get a drool bib and say hello to dip-dyed chocolate marshmallows! 

I made these cute little suckers for my baby welcoming festivities last weekend as a thank you to all my wonderful guests. They were so easy and fun to make and even better to look at that I pretty much couldn't stop staring at them. I may just have to make some on a regular basis to hand out to strangers just so I can see them again.

What You Will Need:

  • Jumbo Marshmallows
  • Small Bowls
  • Food Coloring Dye
  • Wax Paper
  • Chocolate
  • Food Sticks
  • Clear Food Bags or Ziplocks (without the lock)
  • Bag Ties and/or Ribbon

How To:

  1. Set out some wax paper.
  2. Fill a few small bowls halfway with water.
  3. Add a generous amount of dye to your water. Test the color out on a marshmallow and if you want it darker just add more.
  4. Dip your marshmallow in the dye (I did mine diagonally). Leave it in for a few seconds and keep steady to get a nice crisp dye line. (try dipping them with different patterns or letting them dry and putting a second color).
  5. Carefully place the dyed top facing down on the wax paper to avoid drip marks. Since you will be covering that part in chocolate it's if it gets a little messed up.
  6. Let the dye dry and then flip them over onto a clean piece of wax paper to let the bottoms dry.
  7. Now you can begin melting your chocolate. I used dark chocolate Ghirardelli chips and melted it in a saucer on the stove on a low temp. 
  8. Dip the top quarter of the marshmallow (the part with the messed up dye) into the chocolate. Now don't be stingy here, put it on nice and thick.
  9. Carefully place them back down on the wax paper trying not to make a mess with the chocolate.
  10. Allow the chocolate to dry and harden. I waited till the morning.
  11. Then carefully twist the sticks into the bottom of you pops without making marks on the dye or chocolate. (I was careful to only hold the white part of the marshmallow with two fingers and gently twist the stick in slowly).
  12. To finish up simply wrap them in a plastic food bag, tie them with a ribbon and wait for the big-eyes and smiles to come. It's the best thing to make everyone feel like a kid again.

How To: Paint a Chalkboard Fridge

The convenient thing about inheriting a totally average fridge in your new home is that you can mess around with it without feeling guilty, and that's exactly what I did. The plain white fridge wasn't doing it for me, so I decided to fun it up a bit and turn it into a chalkboard surface. Leaving unexpected notes, pictures, and lists on it is a really good time. Another plus is that it also helped to add a bit more personality and schoolhouse charm that I was looking for.

What You Will Need:
  • Small Roller: the firmer and thinner the better in order to feather out roller marks.
  • Small Brush: to get around edges and corners
  • Paint Tray
  • Craft or plastic: to protect the floor
  • Magnetic Primer: I used Rustoleum
  • Chalkboard Paint: buy or make your own (see below for details)

How To:

  1. Move your fridge out and line the surrounding area with plastic or craft paper.
  2. Remove your fridge handles and corners.
  3. Paint on the Magnetic Primer. This is used so that your fridge is still magnetic after you put the chalkboard on. I needed three coats to get it pretty even.
    TIP: have the hardware store shake up the can for you, it is crazy thick and very difficult to do by hand (same goes for the chalkboard paint).
  4. After that's dry you can move on to the chalkboard layer. Here is where I ran into some trouble. I wanted it to be really really black, and the black chalkboard paint I bought from Benjamin Moore was actually a dark grey (see image above). I ended up returning it and buying the Rustoleum brand which was a much more pure black.
  5. When painting with the chalkboard paint, use long firm strokes in one direction (it's not forgiving at all). Make sure you feather your strokes out by squeezing as much paint out as you can. This is to help ensure your roller marks aren't visible. For each layer you should switch from horizontal to vertical to diagonal to get an even surface. It took me a good four layers.
  6. Make sure each layer is completely dry before beginning the next layer (this is where my lack of patience was really tested). If you don't you will take off and gunk up your previous layer. This paint is not the norm and is much thicker and stickier than you're probably used to.
  7. The hardest part is waiting for it to dry. It just sits there teasing you waiting to be written all over. But don't make my mistake and mess it up and have to do touch ups because you couldn't wait to try it out. You can wait to buy your chalk so you won't be tempted.
  8. Once it's dry take the long side of your chalk and run it along the entire surface. This is supposed to season it (I don't know why, but that's what they tell you to do). 
  9. Then wash it off with a wet cloth, and once it's dry it’s all yours to go at.
  10. The first time it got dirty and the beautiful black surface got marred it took me by surprise, but then I let my OCD self calm down and told myself that it is supposed to get messed up and now I love its filthy charm.

Make Your Own Chalkboard Paint!

The store bought variety only comes in a limited color palette like black and old-timey Little House On The Prairie green so if you want a custom color you'll have to make it yourself.

It's really quite easy to do, here's how:

  • Mix a 1/2 cup of acrylic or latex paint in any color with 1 tablespoon of unsanded grout (from any hardware store).
  • Boom, that's it! Now you have a custom chalkboard color to paint on walls, wood, jars, appliances, vases, tables, pretty much anything your little creative heart desires.

Before {and} After: Empty Room Turned Walk-In Closet

We had an empty room attached to our master bedroom in the attic that needed a purpose. I had heard it had been used for an office and a sitting area in the past, but in my eyes it was begging to be the walk-in closet I had always wanted. I mean that would sure beat my prior closet situations where I was on a strict one thing in, one thing out system.

Once I had enough of getting dressed out of giant moving boxes (about one month), I was more than ready to begin tackling the impending closet project. Because it was in the attic of an old house with a steeply angled ceiling, we were not dealing with a quick throw up some rods and hang up your clothes situation but had to devise a system based on the ceiling angle. Since we were starting from scratch I had the opportunity to customize it, and I did. I decided to create separate sections based on clothing type (dresses, skirts, pants, etc). Getting the most out of the space was top priority.

It only took a couple of hours to get the closet built. Matt's clothes are on the other side of the closet and we still have to make that a bit more efficient. Besides that, I just need to add a dresser, a ceiling light, a nice curtain rod, a proper mirror, and some touch up paint; then it'll be fully finished. However, it's quite lovely in the state it's in so the final touches have moved way down on my priority list. I'll keep you posted on the final Before {and} After once it's complete.

How To: Make Washi Switch Plates

It's time for another super simple DIY that will spice up a part of your home that often gets neglected: Switch Plates!

All you have to do is buy some great Washi Tape patterns, figure out your design, and adhere them onto your Switch and Outlet Plates. Once the plate is taped up, simply use an X-acto knife to cut out the holes for the switch and screws and tape the extra material back inside.

If you are not familiar with the magical wonder that is Washi Tape let me explain. It is decorative masking tape from Japan that comes in hundreds of colors and patterns that can be mixed and matched to your hearts delight. Go crazy browsing and buying here at Cute Tape.

Easy Ikea Hack: Two Rugs are Better Than One

Ok, so this has to be one of the easiest Ikea hacks out there. You know those faux sheepskin rugs that have been flying out of the bins lately? Well, simply buy two, sew them together, and voila! You now have a fabulous rug that is extra long with a fun, interesting, organic new shape. It is perfect for a hallway, beside your bed, or in an extra long and narrow area.

I used a thick multifilament polyester thread meant for canvas and upholstery to make sure they stayed secure. I hand sewed the lining edge of both rugs together. It took me about an hour from start to finish and cost a whopping $20. Not bad. So go throw on a mindless movie and start sewing your rugs together!

How To: Plank a Wall

The kitchen renovation all started with this project. I wanted to get rid of the red lead painted, warped wallpaper walls that were occupying most of the kitchen. Since there was 100 years of old wallpaper that had been painted over and over again, it created this interesting effect that made it look like the walls were melting in the corners. Needless to say, that was not going to cut it.

After finding out that the walls were also painted with lead paint, tearing down the paper to re-paint wasn't an option. The safest solution was to cover them up. Since I was going for a modern industrial farmhouse look in the kitchen anyway I decided to start with planking the breakfast nook.

Once I got one wall up and started to see the transformation taking place the excitement of it all threw me into high gear and I just busted the rest out in one day. All in all I am very happy with it. It was a really fun and very transformative project without a ton of effort. If you are thinking about doing this but have been putting it off I say, 'plank away'!

What You Will Need:

  • Safety Gear: Gloves and Eye Wear
  • Wood for Planking: I used 1.5" x 3/4" pine (use any size to get the look you want)
  • Wood for Spacing (optional): I used furring strips to nail to and help even out the wall and baseboard which wasn't straight
  • Chop Saw: You could use a hand saw as well but will be much more time consuming.
  • Nail Gun: This will also speed up the process considerably (you can rent or borrow one)
  • Nails: for your nail gun
  • A Level
  • Tape Measure
  • Wood Conditioner, polyurethane, stain or paint.

How To:

  1. Figure out the height you are planking to. Are you covering an entire wall or just three-quarters. If you are going to use furring strips to nail your planks to then attach them to the wall twelve inches apart.
  2. Once all of your strips are adhered to the wall you can begin cutting your planks. I cut them at random lengths to fit the space. I made very long, long, medium and short pieces that I would alternate on the wall in a kind of brick pattern. I also paid attention to the grain and color of the individual pieces when deciding where they went.
  3. Begin your first line at the bottom of your wall. Draw a level line all the way across and attach your wood there. That will give you a level place to stack the rest of your pieces. Make sure you always level each piece of wood as you go along. Some pieces could be a little warped and be off 1/16th of an inch (that doesn't seem like much until that space keeps compounding and when you get to the top it's all crooked).
  4. Measure out your nail line so that it's 12 inches apart (put your nail in every twelve inches). If your using furring strips then you will nail to the strips (which are also every 12 inches).  This way your nail lines will be evenly spaced.
  5. That's pretty much it. Just keep going until your done.
  6. Once it's all up you just have to put the finishing touches on the wood. You could keep the natural color and just coat it with polyurethane. Or if you don't want those fumes in the house you can rub walnut oil on it (this is what I did. It conditions the wood and hardens bringing out the grain) . If you want to change the color or make stripes of color you can stain it (I stained lots of extra pieces in blue, white, brown, yellow and gray before I decided to keep it natural). Lastly, you could paint it. Remember, even if you stain or paint it you could always sand it down the surface in the future to change the look. 

Tips:

  • Cut through your wood very slowly, but with force to ensure a smooth edge.
  • If you are going around three walls like I did start in the middle of the middle wall first (but still at the bottom of the wall)  so that your corners line up when you get to your other two walls (this was a live and learn moment for me, oops).

Cost and Time:

  • Wood: $100
  • Nails: $30
  • Time: 3 days

Final Thoughts:

It's not very difficult and is kind of meditative once you get into it. It completely transforms a space inexpensively and without a ton of effort. Just throw on some tunes and you'll blow right through it. You can not only do this with walls but try using it as a furniture facade as well.

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