Picture Walls

I remember when David and I moved into our house in Rockford.  We hung up every picture we owned within the first week we lived there.  I'd carry a picture around the house holding it up to all the walls until I found just where I thought something fit.

I did basically the same thing in our Marysville house.  After several months, I decided I wanted a picture wall at the top of the stairs.  We had lots of pictures of the kids, but not displayed anywhere, so I figured that would be a good way to put them up.

When we moved into this house, I hung up a few wall hangings, but really no pictures because I knew I wanted to do another picture wall up the stairs. 

But I procrastinate.

And I second-guess everything I do. 

Except painting handprints on my walls.  Apparently I can do that without a moment's hesitation.  But I'm getting ahead of myself...

It took me until March to do anything on the wall in our kitchen.  Once I had the vinyl letters, I still had to paint a canvas and then deal with non-sticking letters.  Then I had to find frames for mom's and oma's and grandma's recipes.  And then I had to steal decorations from other places in the house because they sort of fit.

David complains that the pictures of the kids are too matchy, but once we have summer pictures or next year's Christmas pictures or pictures when Zachy is here, I can change them.

Then, when I finally got my growth ruler ordered, because they only get restocked twice a month and they're always sold out five minutes after they go on sale, I again walked around the house holding it up to every wall to see where it would look good.  We have really pretty chair rails in most of the main floor, which, unfortunately, get in the way of the ruler.  So, I decided I'd incorporate it into a picture wall, and put it up on the wall at the landing.

And there is stayed, with only a few random pictures, for two months. 

Did I mention I procrastinate?

Until the other day when I was walking up the stairs with Daniel.  He braces himself on the wall as he steps up each stair.  And there, on the wall, was a little handprint.  He obviously had dirty hands one day and I just now noticed.  I didn't even consider washing the wall; those precious little handprints needed to be preserved!  So I did what any logical person would do; I got out some paint, painted his hand, and stamped handprints on my wall.

Ok, maybe that's just what any sentimental person would do.

But it provided the needed stimulus to get the picture wall done.  Random handprints on the walls didn't look cute, but as part of a wall of pictures of those little people, it would make sense.

So again, off to Hobby Lobby for inspiration.  It took a couple of trips there, and some scary moments on a ladder propped on a stepstool on a stair with a child bracing the stepstool so I didn't do a nosedive over the railing.  I need one of those bendy ladders with adjustable legs.

With the exception of changing out pictures as we get new ones, this wall is staying like this for a very long time!