hold me closer, tiny art wall!

Ello! 

I'm back to present you with another project from the weekend! This project has actually been in progress for a month or so now..

It started with this frame:

I painted it at the same time I did the big mirror that didn't fit in the bathroom..

With the trusty ol' Rustoleum Gloss White spray paint.

It took several layers to took get in all those crevices. 

Where is this little gem going to go? Why, on this thermostat that was so rudely placed in the middle of a perfectly nice piece of wall real estate, of course!

Such an awkward position. It was hard to center anything that was wider than a couple feet to the left of it, and things looked awkward placed above it.

Here's the entire hallway. It is very chopped up. Two closets and two bedrooms on the right, then the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom on the left. 

And I'm sorry for the radioactive looking color. It's really the same color as the living room, but this lighting makes it look like it's turning into the Hulk.

Ahhh, here is my lovely! 

Fits so perfectly! If you are going to do something similar, make sure there are holes in the frame or that it has a hanger on the back. There was a hanger on the backing of the glass, so there wasn't one on the frame itself, so I just used the holes in the frame.

I held it up, marked the wall, and hammered in the nails.

EEE! I love it! 

Unfortunately, it stayed this way for several weeks, a lone frame on the wall..

until I got some more frames up in the hizzy! 

I went to Michael's to get most of them. They are always having some kind of sale on frames. Unfortunately, they are all black, so I had to paint them. The gold one at the top there is from Ross, which is also where I got the first one I painted.

I tried several different layouts. A lot of bloggies out there show people using paper to hang on the wall to determine the shape layout, but I'm the ol' step skipper so I just laid them out on the floor.

This is the layout I decided on! Word to the wise: make sure it fits on the wall. I measured with my arms.. It was an arm and a half wide. This is probably not the best way to go about things..

I painted the frames with the stool legs outside. 

So the arm measuring didn't work out so well.. so I just winged it. No measuring or anything, I just held the frame up and nailed where I wanted it.

Now, I obviously need some art, but there are a couple of things in here besides the thermostat..

My ticket to the National Championship game! This baby is too pretty not to frame.

This thank you card came in the package with my tornado relief shirt by Maggie Crisler. Here is a link to her site if your interested in seeing more of her work! I love local artists! 

I just stuck it on there with painter's tape, so it's raised up just a bit.

Here's a view from the other direction. This is a more accurate portrayal of the wall color, btw.

In other art news, I hung this piece of art in the den! I also spray painted the frame (not very well, so it will have to be redone).

I got this piece in Barcelona when I studied abroad (I was in Italy, but we spent a weekend in Barcelona). I LOVED it there! All the Gaudi architecture.. my fav. This is a picture of the Sagrada Familia by Gaudi, which is a HUGE Catholic church in Barcelona. It has been in construction since 1882 and still isn't finished! It is glorious, I suggest you check it out.

This picture isn't really a painting.. it's very glossy. I feel like it would be like a stain glass window if it was on something transparent.. 

Anyhow, it works well in the living room! 

It's a bit dark in that picture above, but I assure you it does look nice! haha

And once more for the cheap seats in the back...

HOLD ME CLOSER, TINY ART WALL!!!!!! 

PAINT THE SIDES OF ALL THE BLACK FRAAAAAMES!!!

LAY EM OUT ON THE DEN CAAARRRRRRPEETTTT,

WITHOUT THE ART, THEY LOOK REAL LAAAAMMEEE!!! 

That's as far as I got, ladies and gents..

I'll be back with updates as I fill these babies with glorious art.

too cool for stool

Hola! 

Welcome to the big stool reveal! Here is a before picture. They look black, even though they are oil rubbed bronze with dark brown tops. 

First I brought them into the den, turned them upside down, and took the tops off.

I marked a sticker on the seat bottom with a number, and put a sticker on the legs with the same number to keep them matched up. I was nervous they could be a little bit off, so I wanted to make sure the original seat went back to its original legs. 

(see the number 2?) 

(HA. the #2.. stool.. HAHAHA). 

I didn't take a picture of the full fabric laid out, but I obviously went with the red splashy one! Here it is once I cut it down a bit. I knew I wanted all the stools to match, so I centered the seat around the one of the big splashy parts.

I did the same with the other two as well.

I flipped it over and was able to see through the fabric, so I lined up the seat where I wanted it.

I bought a staple gun for this project, and I am happy to report they are less than $9 at WalMart. Can I getta hells yeah?! 

I pulled the fabric and stapled it on all four sides, just once, to make sure it was in place.

I flipped it over, and it was lined up how I liked it, so I continued stapling the fabric. I cut off the excess first though.

I pulled it real tight as I stapled around the edges.

Looking good, eh? I was lucky this fabric was so thick.. you can't see the brown leather from underneath. 

I folded the edges down and cut off the excess fabric.

All done! 

Back of the seat all finished.

I did the other two the same way. Here they all are! 

I LOVE THEM! 

I took it into the dining room to check it out. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.

Next, time to paint the legs! I brought them outside to the driveway (the regular spray painting patch is covered in leaves).

I used this Rust-oleum Metallic Finish.

It was AWESOME. I feel like I am a spray paint connoisseur nowadays, and I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a brushed nickel paint. 

So shiny! 

All three finished! 

I let them dry while I admired my new Tin Man look..

I brought them back in and screwed the seats back on! 

Aren't they lovely?!?!? 

I CAN'T STOP LOOKING AT THEM! 

Just to recap:

Before...

After!!

EEEEEEEE!!!