family photos wall gallery DIY
As much as I love those new picture gallery kits (with paper you place on the wall that shows you where to hang frames of certain sizes), they are out of my home decor budget at the moment. So I put together my own wall of framed photos, with lots of measuring and planning beforehand. It was a lot like the colour-blocking scrapbooking technique I’d used a lot a few years back (and taught in my workshops).
And the final result turned out pretty well!
I was really at a loss for a few spaces and was contemplating going out to find a couple of frames that were about 4×4″. But I realized that the kids’ wood letters (”A” and “H”) were about the right size and didn’t need to be squished into the square open-back frame with the parents’ letters anyways. Our hallway wall space is significantly increased from what we had at the old house (and it’s not gray! I’m so sick of gray that I don’t think I could bear to paint any room gray for at least a decade or more).
I actually came back to the project later on and added another couple pieces on the left side – a wall sconce for candles and a black chalkboard with art inset. They were conveniently the same height as my photo “square” when placed one above the other.
Speaking of family photos, here’s some helpful info on current bargains in the photo-printing options world (just regular links, no affiliation):
* Kwikpix.ca is offering 5 cent prints for the first order. I ordered a bunch last summer and it was really great… even shipping was reasonable and they were really quick. I’m in such a brain blur these days though that I ordered just *over* 100 photos to try to pay less for shipping but of course I was confusing it with things that you order more to get a bulk discount and I paid more. 
* Kodakgallery.ca currently has a 25% off coupon for their new pocket photo books (regular price $9.99). Use the coupon (PKBOOK25) and if you pick up the book at a local store that they ship to, you can get a book for about $8.50 including tax. Just be careful to keep the album at the 14 pages to avoid paying the extra “per page” cost, which does not show up on the album-maker until you go to the order section. They are really plain unfortunately, but it’s a good cheap way to have a bunch of quick photos all together in one book and since you can add captions, I’d argue that it’s at least more improved than tossing a couple dozen pictures into a plastic flippy book with no journalling whatsoever.
October 29 2009 09:51 am | family and house to home and pics
October 30th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
That looks really good, Kris. I’m sure it must be more satisfying to do it yourself than use a “kit” anyway.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
@ Alex, for sure. It may not be as perfect (”picture perfect”?
) but maybe that’s better anyways, ya know? I want our home to be pretty but also very approachable and friendly. And we’re a very imperfect family so it fits! (sigh)
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Argh. You know I hate puns!
I still haven’t seen your new place. Are you all moved/settled in?
November 5th, 2009 at 11:10 am
@ Alex
I know you hate them, but I just love them
wait’ll you see the title of my newest blog entry… 
No, not all settled yet, really. Still boxes lying around openly which I think is a big sign that things are still in process. Hopefully by Christmas we’ll have more of the boxes hidden away to make room for the tree!! we’ll have to find a way to see you over the holidays.