Brooklyn and Lu: That's What's Up

I think 'nesting' is in full gear. I finally finished a project 2 years in the making.

A gallery wall going up our stairs.

It was really simple and I wish I would have bit the bullet and done it sooner.

Here's how I got it done.

Step 1. Buy your picture frames. Take to Pinterest for inspiration. I ended up buying the IKEA Ribba frame in 3 different sizes. Word of warning, the longest part of the this project is putting the wire on the back of the frames to hang. If you are going with Ikea frames to save some cash, this is the trade off. Also the largest size frame I purchased fits an 11 1/2 x 11 1/2 picture. Who makes that? No one. So I have to order a print off of Etsy to fill this one.

Step 2. Trace each frame with newspaper and cut out a 'mock' frame. This is the most genius idea ever. Takes some time to cut out the paper but just do it in steps. One weekend I bought the frames, the next I traced out the paper, one weekend I put the wires on the back the frames... you get the idea and it now makes sense why this project took two years. Ok I'm exaggerating a bit on the time frame but I'm just protecting you from 'project gallery wall' burnout . You're Welcome.

Step 3. Order appropriate pictures sizes and prepare frames (dreaded wiring). You will need wire cutters for this if you use Ikea frames. The wire they give you is about 5 feet long for each frame. If you find yourself cursing out Ikea during this process, don't worry it's totally normal.

Step 4. Hang your paper frames with painters tape on the area where you will be displaying your gallery wall. Rearrange about 10 times, remove yourself from room, go back, assess, rearrange another 10 times and then give in because you can't look at it even one more time.

Step 5. Ahh, the most satisfactory of them all. Actually hanging your pictures! Push nail in middle of paper frame to make small hole, remove paper frame and hammer in nail. Hang frame.