Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Getting These Pictures Out of my Guest Room



Remember these? I've been storing them in my guest room for the past several years because I didn't want to hang them in our family room downstairs until we got new furniture.

Well, we don't have new furniture yet, at least downstairs, but I got dang tired of moving these things in and out of the guest room every time someone came to visit me. That and my basement walls are bare, so I decided that these pictures should just go up already. 

Yeah, I did decide that awhile ago, but you know that little procrastination habit I have, yep I've been putting it off. So, I figured this would be the perfect undesirable project for me to complete for Tackle it Tuesday over at 5 Minutes for Mom and for the November Procrastination Challenge over at Virtually Organized. Accountability is a beautiful thing.

So, here's how an anal person like me puts up a multiple picture arrangement.


First I take up two of my crop tables and tape together four large pieces of grid chart paper.


Then I lay my pictures down and start moving them around. When I have them how I want them I trace them onto the paper, write down which picture goes where, and then put an X where the hanger is so I know exactly where to put my nail.


Then I tape the paper to the wall. I have to get it exactly where I want it and make sure it's level, then I grab my hammer and start nailing those hangars in right on top of the paper. Bizarre, huh?

Next, I yank the paper out from underneath all those hangars and set it aside so I can refer to it once I start hanging my pictures. The yanking part is super satisfying because there's some tearing involved. Yay!


Then I run and get my poster putty. This is a must for me. I cannot stand to have crooked and tilting pictures (I have symmetry issues), and this stuff keeps them from moving around. All you need is a little ball of it on the back of the bottom part of the frame. It's a little like gum, but not as sticky and gross.


Now that I've hung my pictures, I'm ready to add the vinyl that I bought years ago and never put up. I also decided that I needed a little something else, so I made a stencil to add the word "Family" to the top of my arrangement.


I just typed this into Microsoft Word and blew the font up to something ridiculous like 250 points. Then I cut it out with my craft knife, making sure to keep the inside of the lower case a.


Lastly, I taped my stencil up and then dabbed at it with my pouncer dipped in paint. While it dried, Peanut Head helped me put the vinyl up.


Ta Da! I think the vinyl might be a little crooked, but I'm going to overlook it for now. I'm thinking that it might be nice to have it in a larger font too. Maybe my BFF, Janae, can hook me up. She has the ginormous Cricut and she knows how to do this kind of stuff.

And I clearly need to get some pictures printed for those two empty frames, don't you think?

22 comments:

  1. fabulous!!
    good for you for getting those photos up on your wall!

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  2. Will you come and hang my pictures for me? PLEASE??? lol.. you do a great job. I love the addition of the Family...

    Thanks for the congratulations! Imagine MY surprise when I clicked on Debbie's blog and saw that I had won! I was blown away! I love getting the prize but I feel like I won just by getting my room in order! Know what I mean! lol... I have to keep "controlling my chaos!" I love that saying!

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  3. BEAUTIFUL....that arrangement turned out so GREAT!!! I always love that saying too!

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  4. I am telling you...we are cut from the same cloth!! That is exactly my process!! It looks great! Nice tackle:-)

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  5. Wow! You are good lol. My husband would love your technique. I am an eyeballer lol. I drive him nuts sometimes especially when it comes out perfectly straight just by me looking at it lol. Great tackle.

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  6. Wow! That looks wonderful!! Now tell me your secret....how in the world did you get that done with children around? Mine would have been "helping me" or needing something right when I was in the middle of that so I would be left with a half finished wall! :)

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  7. What a great idea to use the paper. I love that vinyl quote too-how beautiful. You did a great job!

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  8. Awesome tackle! Could you stop by my guest room? I LOVE the stenciling! Great job!

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  9. I am so impressed! Do you always hang frames this way? I usually eyeball it and end up with a million holes in my wall until it looks right.

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  10. Weber and Syndi,
    No, I do not always hang frames like this, just when I have a group and I want them to be symmetrical. Also, I did it AFTER my kids went to bed so I only had to deal with Peanut Head reminding me to check it with the level. He's as bad as I am.

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  11. Wow...this is awesome! Love the way you did it and will have to try this out myself. We just moved into a new house not too long ago and I have not hung a single picture. Most of it is I just hang and then rehang until I like where it is. I didn't want to put a million holes in the walls so have been putting it off. Will have to try this out! Thanks for sharing and documenting with photos!!!!

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  12. Good for you for getting them up....and I do love the way you grouped them. They look great. I need to get some of the vinyl thingies myself. I have the perfect spot for one!
    Thanks for coming by my blog!
    Suzanne

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  13. That's gorgeous! Excellent Tackle!

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  14. That Looks great!

    I love that quote!

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  15. WOW! I love it!! and i learned!! That is always good!! I just normally wait for my mom or sister to help me!! I could do this! i have one of those sticky works to put up too... i have no idea where! this is a good idea!

    Great Tackle!

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  16. GREAT job! It's only the first week of November and you've already finished your monthly procrastination challenge. Adding the words to your display makes it all pop so beautifully.

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  17. I should take more time.....but I am too spontanious. I threw my photo wall up in about 15 min. I do pre-arrange on the floor before hand. Thank God it turned out OK.

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  18. Hi Jill,, you are so amazing and very Talented person.. I just love visiting your site for inspiration.. Keep it up !!!
    Have a lovely day!!!!

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  19. Hi - this is beautiful! I actually have a wall plaque with this saying on it that I was planning around when I came across your blog! Down where I live (in the HUMID south) that poster putty is dangerous because it turns all gummy - to keep my pictures straight on the wall I get the arrangement right and then pull off the frames one by one and hot glue a thumb tack to the lower center, place it back on the wall and after making sure it is level give a gentle press to "set" the tack. Yes, it is an additional hole but a lot easier to fix than trying to paint over the oils the putty leaves behind! Thanks again for the inspiration!

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