With Logan and Aiden both in some sort of school right now (Logan in pre-K and Aiden in Little Learners), plus the fact that Aiden loves to do “projects” at home, I have been getting quite the influx of art work in the house. I have a hard time finding enough fridge space for all of these wonderful creations so I wanted to create a designated area where they could be on display. I decided that the hallway between the formal and every-day dining rooms would be a great place for an art gallery. I had planned to have this whole thing done back in July, but I’ve had some set backs along the way. For example, my plan was to spray paint baking sheets and then use these amazing Uppercase Living embellishments (sold by my dear friend Lisa) to make them look similar to the framed old tin ceiling tiles we have in the living room. My idea was that all the art work could be hung on these sheets using some really adorable magnets I found at Office Max. The first set of pans I used were non-stick and um…the paint did NON stick to them. I bought some cheap-o ones that worked better, but Brian found one in the garage one day and used it, unknowingly, as a drip pan for oil. Long story short, I started and re-started this project many times. I also had a hard time finding wall hooks that I really liked. I finally found a set of painted hooks that are modeled after old outdoor water faucets. After much delay and some dismay, my Gallery is done….almost….I still have to have Brian hang one shelf for our 3D projects (like the rocks the boys painted in summer camp last July). Here are some pics of (drum roll please): The Gallery at The 554:

Here is one side of the hallway. The shelf will hang above the pan nearest the light switch. There is a picture on the pan closest to the camera so you can’t see the full effect of the “tin tile”

Here is the other side of the hallway. There is one hook by itself which we’ll use to accommodate projects of the “hanging” variety like the Halloween mobile Logan brought home last month. I should have hung it a little to the left, but whatever. The thermostat there on the wall is so definitely not part of my display…

Our first induction into the gallery: Logan’s “sentence” from school last week when he was the class leader. Each day there is one child chosen as the leader; they help write a sentence and then circle a given letter (obviously that day’s letter was t)

Bad picture (what’s new!) of the shelf still left to hang. But mostly…..I’m done!!! I’m excited about our new art-work display area and I hope it makes the boys feel proud of their creations!