I couldn't be more in love with my wall.

This is something I've always wanted to do: a gallery wall.  And not because Pinterest told me to.  No, I've always wanted a beautiful collage on my walls, but the perfectionist told me it'd be too busy, too overwhelming, too cluttered.  Then I told the perfectionist to "shut up," "have a little fun, why don't you?," "believe in your abilities," "evolve."  And so she has.  I have. And I decided to stretch myself out of my comfort zone just a bit more, and I couldn't be more pleased by the results.

From the moment I knew there was a possibility we'd be moving to California, I knew, just knew, I'd have to put up a gallery wall.  I started designing one, throwing some ideas on paper, sketching it, but the truth is, when it comes to my brain, all the sketching, designing, and planning isn't going to do it.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a planner.  Through and through.  But I'm also artistic, and I like to experience things, see things, shop around, make things, and just watch it slowly unfold.  I didn't want to rush my gallery.  I'm careful, cautious.    I wanted it to evolve in front of my very eyes.  At least before I started putting holes in the wall.  I wanted it to be right, to be perfect, so I had to know each and every piece deserved a spot on my wall.  It had to earn it.

Most of those items there, I hadn't even planned for them to go on that wall.  I already had the copper mirror, a wedding gift off of our registry, given to us a decade ago.  The hooks were added to fix an unintended gap after holes started going in.  The clock was something I fell in love with and knew had to be part of my gallery.  So was the "H."  The canvas map is a topographic map of northern California, bought from our beloved Overstock.com for the guest room.  But it was too good for our future guests.  Sorry, folks.  It needed to shine.  The eye chart art was something awesome I discovered in Hobby Lobby.  And for $12, I needed it, but it wasn't supposed to go there either.  Neither was the window frame of photographs.  But they all ended up joining forces and declaring why they deserved a spot together.  They demanded it.  And just like the cast of Friends, I gave into their ploys.  I agreed.  They were all equally deserving.




My favorite piece is my $22 ammo box bought at a flea market.  We attached it to the wall using brackets.  After I bought it (or rather stole it at that price), I went on Pinterest to see how many other people re-purposed ammo boxes and discovered that, as always, I wasn't the only brilliant mind.  And who knew there were so many vintage ammo boxes...


My second favorite thing?  These adorable postcards from IKEA.  That I didn't buy for the wall.

  For $1.99 for a package of five, my hearts melts when I see them and that's what I'm trying to do in my new house.  I want my heart to melt, to laugh, to scream with joy when I live in this new space.  But they needed framed, right?  And that's when it hit me out of the blue.  I had a sudden epiphany!  So....I took two of those adorable postcards and bought two 4x6 frames from The Dollar Tree.

Then I ransacked my fabulous stash of funky Hobby Lobby ribbon (and I sure do have a lot) and Gorilla-glued it onto those frames.  And the frames were the exact width of the ribbon!  And I wasn't even trying!  Now those cheap frames are more worthy for my walls than ever before!  And they add that vibe I was yearning for.  The funk this house was begging to own.



I couldn't love my wall more.  And every time I see it, I still can't believe it's mine.