Kids art wall

So, I love putting up the art and worksheets the girls do but I found myself a little stuck when our new fridge is stainless steel and doesn't hold a magnet :(  ( It sure holds fingerprints though).... I needed something to cover our big wall in our dining room and wanted the art to be switched out easily.  I looked on Pinterest and found an idea that took frames and a binder clip and viola!  You are instantly set up with a wall of art :) I tweaked mine to fit our style and it turned out super cool .  Now I can display the girls projects as part of our decor :)

Here's what you will need
*Spray paint of your choice ( I chose Krylon in Matte Black) $3.47 at Walmart
*Old frames all different sizes ( I used old, you could use new but I am a upcycle gal) Goodwill $15 for 5 frames!
*needle nose pliers & butter knife ( to remove staples from frame and take out glass)
*gloves ( to protect your hands from being cut by the glass)
*old cardboard ( to lay out frames for spray painting)
*binder clips ( to hang off nail inside the frame to switch out artwork) $1.49 package of 10 at Walmart
*nails ( to hang frames on the wall)
total cost of project - $19.96 - What a SWEET price! And that's less than one new 8x10 frame!

First you need to take your glass and picture out of the frame. I had to remove staples and matting and backing, etc on the Goodwill ones I purchased. Be careful!  I would wear gloves to protect yourself from getting cut. 
                                                                            Before
                                                                           

 

After

I got some frames with great detail

 

 

I put the empty frames out on the cardboard, set aside the glass for another project or toss.  I sprayed the frames lightly with one coat of spray paint, I let them dry for 10 minutes and went back for another coat.

 

After the 2 coats of paint

I really like the Matte finish. It turned out super classy,( just like me) haha!

I hung them on the wall in no particular order. I also added a letter M that I already had to finish it off. I don't have the binder clips up yet but you would just put a nail where you want the binder clip to hang the art inside the frame.

 

Another project down, a million more to go!  Happy Crafting! 

                                        

Fall Wreath

I fell in love with white pumpkins for fall decor and I needed to make a wreath to reflect that love :) Okay, if you know me... You know,I LOVE a wreath! 

Here is the supplies you need =

Grapevine wreath (got mine at Hobby Lobby for $2.50) I used 40% off coupon
beaded wire ribbon ( free from another project)
2 spools of ribbon ( Hobby Lobby sale $4.00 for both)
6 foam white/buttercream color on a pick ( Hobby Lobby $1.50 each on sale)
6 brown pipecleaners ( $.97 at Hobby Lobby for a package of 25)
total cost = $16.47, now that's what I love!  These similar wreaths sell for $60.00 on up at stores

I used a beaded wire to weave into my wreath. You can use whatever decor you want, this is just an idea. Then you want to take your grapevine wreath and place your pumpkins on the wreath like a clock. One at 12, one at 2, one at 4, one at 6, one at 8, and one at 10. This will give you equal placement space between pumpkins.  I used ones that had picks that bent so I just weaved them through the back of the wreath.  No hot glue on this project :) YES!

The next step is to make the ribbons to put next to your pumpkins. I layed two on top of each other alternating between what color I put on top. I cut maybe 6 inches for the top color and 8 for the bottom color. I looped the two ribbons and stacked them on top of each other. I folded them in half and took a brown pipecleaner and pulled it as tight as possible and twisted the back. I took the finished loop ribbon and stuck both ends of the pipe cleaner through the wreath and weaved the extra pipecleaner into the back of the wreath. I placed the looped ribbons along side of each of the 6 pumpkins. 

 

 

It turned out so pretty. I love the colors I used for the ribbon. It has mustard yellows, and greens and purples and all the rich colors you see in the fall. I then took some remaining ribbon to do a loop to hang it from the front door.  I cheat and I don't use a wreath hanger for the door, I just take my end of the ribbon and tack it to the top of the door so there is nothing showing but the elegant ribbon. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and I can't wait to hang this on the door for the fall season :)

 

 

Happy Fall!

Yep, I doubt I can call myself a "true blogger" as my last post was February!  Haha... Oh well, I try.  The McVay family has been through a whirlwind of change the last few months.  Aaron accepted an OnBase job at the begining of April that is based out of WI so we thought we were moving there but it turned out they had an office in Urbandale, IA so guess where we headed?? Yep!  We are now Iowans again!  Hooray! After a couple of straining months of craziness we are in Clive and loving it here.  Avary just started 2nd Grade and Sloan is in a pre-k program three days a week and they are both doing great.  Hudson just celebrated his very 1st Birthday and we were incredibly blessed to have shared it with great family and friends that we have missed terribly.  Hopefully I will be able to post more now that we are settled in.     Happy FALL!