Gallery Wall Part 2

I thought I'd take a break from the patio posts and share a little of what's progressed inside our house.

A while back I shared my wall I was jamming with frames, in Gallery Wall Part 1, with the photo booth plaque tutorial.

Most of the frames were empty for that post, and I've got the wall done except for one frame...because that's going to be a current family photo and we still need to get some taken.

So here's the almost finished wall:

One of my favorite elements is this canvas I made, it's basically the theme of this family/ life wall. 

I loved that the focal quote was from Ferris Bueller.  I tried to disguise the quote with the sophisticated looking (at least to me) font, hoping from a distance you expect a quote by an elegant philosopher, or great literary author, but you get close and it's just Bueller? Bueller?

More our style.

It's just a 11x14 canvas from Big Lots (cheapest I've ever found, comes in package of 3).  I don't have a vinyl cutter, and I wasn't about to try freezer paper or hand paint such a precise font.  Then inspiration hit to have it printed as a photograph.  So I made the image and had Costco print it as a 10x13 for $1.50.  Then I just mod podged it on the canvas.  That plaque was $3.00 in the end.

I've already planned to switch out a few of these photographs, which is the beauty of having a concentrated wall to just switch them out as your family/ mood/ season changes. 

OTHER FAVORITES ON THE WALL:

Kindergarten School Photos of Rhett and I

I chose Kindergarten because you're still cute and little, and it was before my mom started letting me do my own hair.

Case in point:

Jessica in 4th grade.

Gel crusted half pony tail with stringy permed mop head.

The yellow crooked teeth didn't help either. 

{The hosptial I worked at right after we got married was with a really fun group of people.  I organized an "ugliest school picture" competition and this was my entry.  I can't remember who actually won.  If you need a laugh at work, I recommend this contest}

I plopped the pointe shoes on the wall, my tribute to the huge boxes in my closet.  So I wanted Rhett's extra-curricular achievements which are a lot better than mine represented too. 

Rhett's a state champion wrestler.

So two of his medals made it on the wall, as his old wrestling shoes just didn't seem to have the same aesthetic as pointe shoes to me. 

I did end up putting a photo of my ballet days up there too so the pointe shoes made a little more sense.

This next one may be my favorite thing on the wall.  Rhett and I met, fell in love, and were engaged as students in college.  He proposed spontaneously with zero preparation.

It was mixed emotions on my end.  Obviously thrilled to be marrying the man of my dreams...but....where's the gazebo with violin music in the background?  Where's the nice dinner before hand?  Why are we sitting on this nasty couch in your nasty apartment for this moment? and finally Why isn't there a ring?

I've mentioned I was kind of a loser in high school and never really dated, so I had plenty of Friday nights at home watching Jane Austen movies dreaming of my ideal romantic proposal.  AND, my dad's business is in jewelry so my ring was picked out since I was 17 and that should have been an easy no brainer.  

It was one of those lame girl moments when none of that should matter, but I'd expected something a little more grand, and in a cleaner environment, and hated that in the actual moment all the fluff really seemed to matter to me.  

I think Rhett could see my inner conflict and worried it was about my positive answer to his proposal.  I think I said something like: "No, of course I'm going to marry you....I just always dreamed it would be a really fancy night that's all...and maybe that there would be a ring...."

Rhett: "So I crushed a dream tonight?"

It's really funny to me now.  In fact, in true Jessica form each romantic land mark was kind of a disaster on one of our parts....one day I should tell you how I botched our first kiss.  It's kind of too embarrassing to share actually.  Let's just say it's a miracle he stuck around after that.

Anyway....

So March 20, 2004 I left with a string from his dollar store sewing kit on my finger.

 Rhett did actually do a big gazebo proposal when he got the ring and it was a total surprise, so he got it right the second time.   

It's so funny because we announced we were engaged shortly after obviously, and everyone responded not with congratulations, but always: How did he ask you?  Rhett said he was surprised that's what everyone cared about.  Apparently the importance of the proposal's not something he picked up watching Goonies rather than Jane Austen. 

But now the little string ring is a prized possession and I proudly display my sewing kit engagement as a reminder of our beginning.

This last one is a cherished photo of my parents when they were dating in college in 1979. 

I did try to have a mix of photographs, memorabilia, etc. on the wall.  For example, there's an 8x10 of a pretty street we took on our trip to Italy.  I preferred a nice photo of the memory rather than us in front of it or something.  There's even a framed chunk of fabric from Rhett's childhood on the wall.  His mom made a card table tent in the 80s and she gave it to me and so a piece is framed.  I guess I feel like the wall is specific memories, but many have stories you have to ask about to find out why they're there.  Like rather than having a wedding photo, I have a print of the building we were married in.

I had my son make a painting I should have included, it was hilarious.  I will have to add it tomorrow. 

Just makes it more interesting to look at I think to have the variety, but most still represent typical landmark moments in our life and family, just from a different perspective in my mind.