How to: Hang a set of frames

 
    I do not know if I've mentioned this before but I love symmetry. I know I've done things before that are unsymmetrical (like this post) but I just think of those as balanced and I suffer through it. Seriously, I can't even wear anything unsymmetrical (no one shoulder tops for me, how can you be okay with favoring only one shoulder?). I got these beautiful vintage magazine pages from my uncle and I have not been able to figure out where to hang them. So with my symmetry fanatics, the 4 pages of dresses and 2 hats pages were driving me crazy. 


     Finally, I found a place. I have this crazy long hallway. Look at how long! And narrow. It's like a bowling alley (and sometimes just as dark)

     Here's a look at some of the different designs I played with before deciding. It was like Goldielocks, this one is too small, this one too big. It just depends on the space of your wall and frames, I had a long wall and narrow frames so I need to stretch out the spaces. 

Step 1) Measure the distance across the wall. Measure the widths of the frames. To evenly space it out, subtract all the widths of the frames from the length of the wall. Then divide by the number of frames plus 1.

Walls- widths / frames +1 = distances between frames (yeah super geeky side, yay symmetry) 


Step 2) Cut out scraps of colored paper to make mock frames and tape them to the walls to see how it will look. (I used leftover paper from this). I ended up deciding to overlap the frames by 1/3^rd because they looked better. 

Step 3) Admire your work.


Step 4) Figure out where your nails go (mine are down 2.5 inches) and nail away!

Step 5) Tear down paper and hang pictures.

Step 6) Admire your work again, but for real this time. (level it too!)

Pretty Pretty Recipes Cards

     
      So for next installment of the pretty pretty series, I have a cheap and easy way to add some decoration to your kitchen. One of my best friends for my 21^st birthday made me a cute gift basket with Nuvo (one of my favorite drinks) and these adorable recipe cards to make drinks. They were too cute to keep hidden so I used some pretty ribbon to hang them up. They add a bit of sparkle to my kitchen and take up minimal space.

Materials:

Ribbon

Balsa wood

Markers

Glitter

Small Jewels

Hot Glue

For more in the pretty pretty series, check out these organizers, these boards and these notebooks (plus these)!

50 Dollar Fix: Fabric Frames

    
     So remember how I filled that blank space behind my couch, I had another blank wall to conquer in my apartment. This time it was behind my tv and quite expansive. Yet again, I'd show you a picture but it was a large blank white wall behind a tv, surely you don't need a photo, you can imagine it on your own. Anyways, I decided to try that whole framing a piece of fabric. It was quite inexpensive and I think it looks pretty plus it fills up space. Goal achieved. Here's my how to:

Materials:
Paint
Fabric
Modpodge
Hot Glue
Penny Nails
Decorative Molding cut to size
Thin Wood (for back of frames)

Directions:
1) Determine the size of the frames and have decorative molding cut at the store (most do it for free, see if they can cut the edges at angles to make it look prettier) Paint boards and all the sides!

2) Modpodge fabric to board and smooth out all wrinkles. I used modpodge because it allows for corrections.

3) Hot glue the baords down to frame the fabric the use penny nails to nail the board to the wall and secure the baords. I used hot glue to secure the boards in place until I placed the frames on the wall and then used the nails to actually secure the boards.

50 dollar fix: Kitchen Hallway

      My breakfast nook is small. My kitchen is tiny. I like cooking stuff, thus I have an organizational nightmare trying to get all my dishes and stuff to fit without it looking like a hodgepodge mess. I needed something to hold extra bowls, cups and a few odds and ends. Plus I needed some way to spruce the place without painting.

    
     First I found this DVD case, which sleek black shape worked perfectly in the narrow space. It's just deep enough to hold bowls but shallow enough that it doesn't impede the walkway. The shelves adjust so that I could have more room on the bottom to place taller things. The doors keep it looking neat and clean even when I am in a rush to clean for company and just shove things in there.

    
       Second thing is this vintage English World War Two propaganda poster in a vibrant pink color. I could have ordered it online and paid a fortune for it. Instead, I found the image online and took it to my local print shop. They were able to print it out on glossy poster paper (about 18 by 24) for fewer than 20 dollars. Next, I went to Target and picked up a poster frame for about 5 dollars (it was on sale).

Voila! Another 50 dollar fix!

How To Save On: Lighting

    I needed some more light in my living room, I only had the one light in the ceiling fan and a small lamp from Ikea and it just wasn’t enough. I also have a big blank white wall behind my couch and I hated it. I tried looking for something artsy to put behind it but because it was such a large space, they were all really expensive ideas.

     Then one day, I was wondering aimlessly through Target and probably buying things I did not really need, I found the solution. There were these beautiful vine planters, that looked like wrought ironwork but were about 1/5 of the price, at least and much lighter. For only about 60 dollars, I grabbed three. Then patrolling along the Christmas clearance section, I found these beautiful iridescent Christmas lights on sale for about a dollar per strand. I quickly grabbed a bunch, (I still have leftover strands) and knew I had found my solution.

     I twirled the lights around the vine growers so that the outlets were mostly hidden and then spray painted some small gold wall hooks black. I used four hooks per panel to secure them to the wall.

     As you can see, it gives my couch the light it needed without it being super bright or too confined of an area. I love plugging them in during a party and turning off the overhead lights, it gives this wonderful soft glow to the place and did not cost me an arm or a leg. Not only did I get the lighting I needed, I also was able to cover up the ugly blank wall.