For the last five years, this was the wall behind my kitchen table.
There was nothing wrong with this wall, but I thought it was a little boring. Because most of my waking hours are spent in my kitchen I decided it was time to make a "Happy Wall". It was the perfect space to fill with things that make me happy. I love to entertain and so I thought this wall might also make for fun dinner conversations. Thus began the search for items for my wall.
I found 15 frames at a local thrift store. I had to use my imagination, but for prices ranging from $0.50 to $1.00 per frame, it was worth a little creativity.
Each frame got a fresh coat of white paint.
I even broke out some burlap and my hot glue gun. Sometimes it pays to keep scraps from old projects :)
I laid out the finished frames on my floor to make sure I had the right look. The next step was hanging.
Here is the finished product. I could not be more please with my Happy Wall. I find myself looking at it as I cook, fold laundry, wash dishes, and just enjoy my coffee. It was worth all $24. That is right! The entire wall cost me less than $25 dollars. Like I said, I found the frames at a thrift store, printed pictures from my computer or used photos I already had, and made my "Scrabble" frame from already purchased burlap and our game. The chalk board paint was half the cost of the entire project but was well worth it. I have since painted the frame that was on the Happy Wall (before it was so happy) and now Harrison has a chalk board in his room.
So what is on my Happy Wall? Well, if it made me smile, it was in the running. Here is a break down of what made the final cut:
To the left is Harrison's very first finger painting. Quite the masterpiece! And the frame on the right is a daily reminder of what is really important.
The "Scrabble" frame is one of my favorites. I got this idea from Pinterest. Here is the original. I decided to customize it to make it a little more personal. The frame on the right is more for me than anyone else in my house, but I love it because I am a walking zombie until I have my first third cup of coffee :)
Some pictures that have a special place in my heart.
The photo booth picture is of Matt and I from my best friend Taylor's wedding. The chalk board frame is another favorite of mine. This is my place to leave my honey and babies special messages :)
Life really is better with friends, and I loved the background color. And just a side note, the better with friends frame was very western....in fact it had a huge cow skull and horns attached to the top. I popped that sucker off with a screwdriver and painted over it. It is one of my favorite frames now :) And the frame to the right contains the poem Babies Don't Keep given to me by my beautiful friend and amazing momma, Brianna. I love it because it is so true!
The Pear frame makes me laugh and warms my heart because it makes me think of my wonderful hubby. We really are a perfect pair. And I could not have a Happy Wall and not include something by my favorite artist, Van Gogh.
I thought this last frame was fun because I used a piece of scrap material I had from making new curtains for my kitchen. The colors in the fabric are so bright and cheery, it is perfect for my kitchen :) Sorry the picture is a little dark, my camera died so I used my phone.
I hope you enjoyed my Happy Wall. I highly recommend having one of your own. It never hurts to have something that makes you smile!
