Edible Artwork

Well, suffice it to say, my favorite way to redecorate on the cheap is replacing artwork and switching frames around. The kitchen art had been bugging me for awhile, the big dark frame I had just didn't jive with the light and airy feel of the room. Sooo, I switched it out for two smaller frames, with artwork I took from a calendar and my pile of Real Simple magazines I have collected.

The bottom right is from my Martha Stewart cupcake calendar, (yesss, my calendar is dedicated entirely to cupcakes, but it's in the kitchen so it makes sense). It's the photo from February so I won't miss it. The others are all pages from Real Simple magazine. The top right is a cool photo of oil, and the ones on the left are bottles and jarred foods. 

The trick I've found to hanging photos in frames that are not the same size is to match the outside corners in the shape of a larger square, so it looks deliberate rather than thrown together. You could also match the inside corners in a square, which I considered but it meant rehanging the other two. 

This new artwork makes a lot more sense than the groupings I had before. First we had the obligatory "Keep Calm" poster, when the kitchen was that yucky sage color.

Then I painted the kitchen, and switched up the art again.

But, alas, it was again time for a change. It was definitely the darker frame that I disliked the most, it just didn't fit with the space. I knew I was a white or silver frame type. You live, and you redecorate. Story of my life. It is fun to look at the progression of the room over the years though.

Now to get (or make?) new curtains for this room, when I magically learn how to sew (or pawn the project off on my sweet sew-crazy Mother).

The Makings of a Gallery Wall

I have loved the look of gallery walls for months now, but was having trouble figuring out a good location for one in my home. In a moment of genius (and because of another crafty idea I am working on), I took down the large frame I had by itself in our entry way and replaced it with a new family of smaller frames.

We have a cute pair of love birds...

A pretty picture of the sunset in Santa Cruz I took that I had been meaning to frame...

Some scrabble inspired lovin' found on Etsy....

I don't have the before photo of the other frame, but it was a large distressed brown frame with a black and white photo in it, which felt too dark for the room. Sooo, I went on an Easter egg hunt through my house and collected some new frames, and basically free styled the arrangement.

I tried to avoid a really symmetrical arrangement, and went for a more free hand approach. It's really cool to view from the kitchen also, because the frames I have in there mimic the arrangement in the living room now! Almost like a continuation of the gallery wall in another room.

I've been meaning to add more frames to the arrangement in the kitchen too, so this will vamp up the look as well. Love it, and it cost me nothing since I had all the frames! Free is my favorite.