Un-Frumpify & a Wall O'Frames

Yes I just made up that word. Thank you very much.

When I got my new job almost 7 months ago, I was very excited to find out that there was basically no dress code. SWEET. In my old job in the lab I could wear jeans, tennies & t-shirts, and was glad to find out I could do the same in my new office position. Be jealous. No really though, we don’t have much of a dress code in my office because we don’t interact face to face with any customers so I guess they see that as no need to dress nice. Works for me! But, I usually try to look at least half way decent because I mean, it’s still a professional position and gosh forbid one day I wear my crocs and t-shirt and have a meeting with the big boss- eek. So although I don’t dress up, I still try to look halfway presentable. As in sandals, jeans and shirt vs. jeans, t-shirt and old tennishoes. Okay sorry for that tangent, now back to un-frumpifying!

On a typical day this is what I will look like: I know it's lame and I look like a beggar. Get over it.

BUT last night all of this came in from my jewelry party!


So now I can go from frumpy to fabulous!

Okay really though, I am so excited about all my new jewelry and I have to say it just really makes looking like you put a little effort into your outfit SO much easier! And for a lazy person like me, easier is better!

Moving on.

It’s no secret that I envy the blog young house love. I just love their house and their decorating style. Hence the reason I copy many of the things they do because they have style and are frugal people. Sounds like me! Or at least who I hope I am! (you know, the having style part).

YHL made these shelves:



And I* made them here:

*I = Big Dawg, Dad, David & Myself


Well for as long as I have been reading their blog, I’ve always wanted to have a photo collage like theirs:


So guess what I did? Made one!

This is what our current above-the-couch frame set looked like. Cute but pretty plain. And I just love love love these big white frames from Michaels. Need. More.


So in order to make the set like YHL, I needed more frames. Five to be exact. Eek- 5 frames can get pricey- especially white frames with a mat. So, what’s a frugal/crafty girl to do? Go shopping around the house o’course! I knew I didn’t have a big center frame so that would need to be purchased. I had a few 8 x 10’s but they didn’t have mats so they wouldn’t work. But I did have two black 4x 6 frames with mats that I could definitely use. And seeing as I LOVE spray paint, I could change those in a jiffy! In fact I already painted one white a while ago.

So my list was down to (2) 8x10s, a large middle frame, and spray paint. We got the large one from Target for $19. Kind of pricey if you ask me but it was already white and had a gorgeous wide mat that would go perfectly. Then I bought two silver $3 frames from Wal-Mart and some white Krylon Bright White in Satin finish.


So now I had everything I needed. My frames aren’t the exact sizes of the ones YHL used but they didn’t have to match exactly. After all it’s my living room and I could use whatever sizes I want.

Next was hanging them. This was the only part that was a little tricky because I wanted everything perfectly symmetrical and hanging 7 frames, 4 of them different sizes, was kind of tedious. But in the end I got it done and then it was time to fill them!

I have been working on a “J” picture to go in the large middle frame and my gosh darn printer was being a pain in the butt last night so I am going to have to send my word created document to Wally World to get them to print it on photo paper. I’m still not sure if I will keep all the current pictures in the frames, but I was anxious last night and so I was putting in whatever I could find! I used a piece of scrapbook paper to fill one frame. Three strips of paint swatches. A Minnie Mouse original drawing that an artist gave to me on our last trip to Disney and my favorite jumping wedding picture. Then of course I’ll add the “J” picture once I’ve got it printed. So here it is as of now, I will post a finished picture when I have everything “just right”. But I couldn’t wait to share!
The “J” picture I’m referring to has a “J” for James (obviously) and I included the definition for Jolly. After all we are the Jolly James’! I'll share once I get it printed.

I just love the way it turned out!