Gallery Walls

Today, I thought I would show you one of the MANY gallery walls we have in our home.  This one is a series of pictures we had taken of our daughters several years back.  As most of you know, the older one cheered in high school, the other plays volleyball.  However, in some of the photos they are reversed.  Our photographer thought it would be fun for the girls to switch.  Let's just say, our oldest swam in her 5'8" (at the time) sister's uniform while the youngest could barely squeeze into her 5'4" sister's.  But, they had a great time poking fun at each other's sport and making funny faces.  We also had some taken of the girls in their miscellaneous medical braces (boot for an ankle, crutches, knee brace, sling).  The reason was...both girls sustained severe injuries from their respective sports that year.  The oldest injured her foot while tumbling, no tears, no breaks, but the worst foot despite that fact that her ortho doc had ever seen (to this day it is still not the same)...the youngest threw out her shoulder diving for a ball in their final tournament in April, rehab didn't help, so we faced surgery that July and more rehab, she also had a knee injury that year!  For their Christmas cards that year we used a picture of each in uniform and the one of them together with their "braces"...we chronicled the year for all of our faraway family and friends.  They still laugh about that card til this day!!  The girls had a grand time hamming it up, and these have become some of our favorite shots of them.

I like to use uniform frames, all the same color with the same matting.  I am a VERY simple, symetrical person...I like clean lines!

Here are some of the shots close up...

Come and get it...

Yes, we really did do it this time!

Hey, That's my uniform!

What????????????

Don't even...

oh no you don't...

how did mom and dad know that was coming?????

You wouldn't dare!???

Disclaimer:  Neither child ever once hit the other, bit the other nor spit on the other!  Truly, they had the best time taking these pictures.  I have never seen them laugh so hard.  And, three years later they still laugh about it.

So, when it comes to gallery walls...do like to keep things simple or mix them up?

Mirror, Mirror...Oh how I love you!

I finally managed to complete our front entryway makeover.  If you recall, this is what our entryway used to look like.

The mirror and chair belonged to my Granny.  It has been passed down several generations.  While I love both, I was craving something lighter and brighter.  Don't worry, both will find a new home in another room in our house.

I saw this table (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00105064) on an episode of Nate and knew I had to have it!   I loved the glass top!  I knew I wanted to add light to this area as well, and found a great lamp while shopping for the table.  I love that it has a dimmer switch, so I can control the amount of light depending on time of day and my mood.  I picked up a couple accessories, and created some Word Art using Wordle (thanks Cassie).   The only thing missing was a new mirror.  One that would suit the space.  I found this one at Lowes...

But, I wasn't loving the color...not light, bright and airy!  So, what is the Queen of Spray Paint to do?  Why make a trip to Home Depot to purchase Rustoleum's Plastic Primer and White Laquer spray paint.  A couple coats of each later and ...this is how the entryway turned out~

I am loving the new look!  Light, bright, cheerful, and airy.  And, less fussy!  I am so thrilled with how this turned out that I am looking for ways to lighten other areas of our home as well.

I hope to have a couple of projects complete this week, and can't wait to share them with you!

House Tour Part One~

Well, I have finally managed to take some pictures of the 1st floor of our home.  I am not the best photographer when it comes to dealing with indoor lighting, so I will apologize for the "not so great" pictures ahead of time.  Plus, it has been overcast lately making it even more difficult to capture the rooms in their best light.

First up...the recently renovated kitchen.  We changed out the countertops, from Mediterrean Blue Corian to Cocoa Brown Corian, added new subway tile,new under cabinet lighting, a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets, walls and ceilings, antiqued the island, and changed out a few accessories.  We are really loving the new look.  A little bit more contemporary than the French Country look we did have (picture blues, reds, golds with a toile motif), but yet with a little bit of that Southern touch.

Next up, the family room.  This is where we spend most of our time.  Within the last year we painted the fireplace surround and entertainment center a rich chocolate brown and then distressed it.  Recently we painted the walls and ceilings.  Wow, what a difference painted ceilings make.  Now everyone notices all the beautiful crown moldings we have!  I then added my favorite Southern Living At Home and Potterybarn accents.  I am loving the color combo of the rich chocolate with the red and aqua blue.

Next up, the dining room...we purchased the table, buffet and wine bar about two years ago.  The chairs belonged to our old dining set.  I painted them a wedgewood/slate blue, then distressed them.  I love the mismatched look.

Next we have the Living Room turned Library/Music Room...we never used this room until we added the bookshelves and the piano!  Now it is everyone's favorite place to read or play a board game.

On to the office...

And finally, the front hall and downstairs bath...

Hope you enjoyed the tour.  I hope to have pictures of the upstairs soon. We just recently finished installing new hardwood flooring in every room and the upstairs hall ourselves.  And, there's been some juggling of rooms.  Our younger daughter finally got the "big" room across the hall she has been wanting for years!  Big sis moved to her 1st apartment.  But, of course she still wants a room at home...so that meant redoing little sister's old room!  Fruit basket turnover!!