chair re-do #2 and picture wall

So I decided to paint the chair black, I think it looks better this way (btw – haven’t actually upholstered her yet, the fabric won’t be so lumpy after it’s finished):

Here it is as she sits in my entry way for people to sit and take off their shoes.

 

I also finally decided what to do with the big wall in our dining room (it’s been blank for 4 months now).  I stole the idea from a fellow blogger (thanks Erin!) to do a picture wall.  I love the look of pictures in similar frames all lined up on a wall but I didn’t want to buy new frames for all our pictures, that would be really expensive!  So I stole the idea to just paint them all the same color, I think it’s brilliant… although I haven’t painted them yet, here’s what I’ve done.  Seems simple, but for me, it’s kind of a big deal. :)

Step 1: I gathered all the frames I wanted to use and traced them onto some old wrapping paper being careful to indicate which side is up.

Step 2:  I taped the paper on the wall in different configurations until I was happy with the overall shape.

Step 3: I laid them out on the floor to make sure I would like how everything “went” together before Dan put all the nails in the wall.

Step 4: Dan put the pictures up on the wall using the papers to mark where he was placing the nails, he is so handy and patient with my many little tweaks and requests of, “could you move that one a little more to the left please?”

Step 5: I still need to paint the frames, I am thinking black… any other suggestions?  I would leave them different but I think it would be best to have them the same color so they “go” together but they will still have their different shapes and textures.

Step 6: I was thinking about cutting out my own vinyl lettering but decided that all the time it would take me to do that is worth more than $15, so I placed an order for some letters online instead, they should arrive next week.

I’ll post pictures when it’s finished.

Speaking of things that need to be painted. I found these sticks outside and put them in my $1 thrift store vase with some black rocks in the bottom ($4 at Wal-Mart).  I think they make a pretty sweet looking Halloween decoration, and so thrifty!  They just need to be painted black.  The buckets on either side are from Target. We’re getting pretty excited for Halloween around here.  In fact, Sophie wore her costume to bed last night, on our morning walk, to the park this afternoon, during her nap, and to bed tonight!  She’s only taken parts of it off when absolutely necessary to eat or go to the bathroom.