Living Room photo Display

Once we finished the dining room. I knew I wanted to move that metal circle out there. I thought the contrast between the oil rubbed bronze and the white walls... would play nicely together. And thankfully... I was right. But that ended up leaving a huge blank space above our couch....

So you all know how I love photo gallery shelves. This time I stained mine rather than painting it white and i filled it with engineer prints to make a BIG statement above that couch.

I love the way this turned out. Sometimes it takes us awhile to redo something we already did. but I have found that switching things up with small things like this make the largest impacts. And they are easy... and usually done in a couple of hours... which honestly... is the best type of project!

Here is the before with the metal circle

And here it is now.

One of my favorite signs made by a friend of mine. Hopefully she opens an Etsy store soon. She does an AMAZING job!

I honestly could fill every wall in our house with photos and still feel like there are not enough.
I have a hard time replacing old ones with new ones... so often rather than replacing them... I create a new spot to fill with photos. Someday... I will run out of room. Until then though... I have quite a few walls waiting to be filled ;)


This weekend is filled up with home projects... that I cannot wait to share in the upcoming weeks.
Hopefully you check back in next week to see what we have been up to. Next week I am hoping to share the play room built in progress... valentine mantel.... DIY valentines... and the giveaway winner!

Ps. Have you entered the giveaway?

Hope you all have a great weekend! Stay warm!

Updating Frames with Paint and Plywood.

I had plywood photo frames in my living room that I made a while back. You can see the original post Here

I gave them a quick update with paint

I really love the black and white modern stripes tied in with the rustic frame.
I love how adding a cheap square piece of painted plywood around the frame makes a huge impact on that wall.  and it is always cheap and easy to switch out when I get bored with the design:)

Don't mind the random sailboat on the floor. Maddux's superheroes were using to escape Dr Doom :)

Mantel Updates

I decided to try filling my Mantel with photos... I didn't have enough in the the living room ;)

So I went to Staples and had a few black and whites blown up. Unfortunately I lost a lot of my photo disks, so I only had a few black and white photos to blow up... but thankfully my amazing photographer said she still has them ... Thank God! So I might change out a few of these once I get those.

So I used the black and whites from our last session and the ones we had around the house already.
And since it is fall I threw in the fall family photo in color.

Simple update...

I get the engineer black and white photos at staples. Those 3 large ones cost me under 6 bucks all together. We cut cheap plywood for the back and then framed them out with some scrap wood. Simple simple.

Big change for little money... And the pumpkins in the bottom corner.... Slowly bringing out my fall stuff :)

Gallery Wall

I have been wanting to do a giant gallery wall in the house for a long time. I just could not decide on where. So after a while... I finally decided that the hallway is the place to do it. So after a lot of collecting and figuring out what I want to showcase on this wall...
Some people have a specific style. They know what they like.. and they don't. Some people like a bit of everything... and I think that is where I fall in. I love photo galleries with all white frames... all wood frames.. which I have done both of those. so this time I wanted to try a random gallery wall. Where nothing matches.. and there is no method to any of it.

So I just started hanging stuff on the wall working from one corner to the other. I won't lie I had a few gaps that I had to go to the store and find something specifically that size to fill that gap or I had to make something to fill that gap. But in the end... it all worked out. Well mostly. I have a few gaps I still want to fill in. but for now... I like it. I think.

So ready for way too many photos of a photo wall? I'm serious ... way too many photos

A few of the details... 

When Maddux was two.. we went to JCP for photos and they captured several facial expressions of him. I adore this photo. (don't mind the dust on the frame... keeping it real here people!)

Easy to change out frame with clips! 

The map we use to pin all of our US adventures :)

Some Star Wars Humor :)

Several favorites of Maddy

Housewarming Art my Step Dad made :)

 BFFs. Forever and ever.

Fancy water bottle from our 5th anniversary.... we spent tasting chocolates :)

I took a canvas and flipped it around and threw our Initial in there ..

First year of t-ball, Disney vacation, Family photo... and our favorite number 9.

And a few more shots.

There is actually a very funny story behind that Tiffany's bag.. it still makes me laugh :)

There you go. An insane amount of photos... of photos.

So have you tried just hanging a gallery wall and seeing where it goes. stressful. I am telling you I changed this one at least 13 times. At least.

Melody Ann Photography Giveaway

If you follow me on facebook or have read my blog you all know that I adore my friend Melody's photography. We use her for all of our photos and I am always impressed with the quality of photos she takes.

This past weekend she did a Mommy & Me shoot for Mothers day.
And once again.. I am in love with the sneak peak she has sent me back so far.

She does a fantastic job.
And I am so excited for this giveaway :)

A little bit about Melody.

**I've always loved pictures! Whether it was being in them, or being behind the camera. I've always loved the idea of capturing a REAL moment and being able to look back at that image years later, and still being able to feel what I felt at that exact moment!

For me, taking pictures is more than just a hobby, or even a part time job. Pictures help me re-live all of those special moments in life that take your breath away.  And not just the big moments like your wedding day or the birth of a child. But all of those special moments that come and go so quickly, you can miss them with a blink of an eye. Those little moments that God created just for you, just when you needed it.

As a mother, I'm constantly reminded of how quickly life goes by. I often hold my children and whisper to God "Please let me never forget this moment" as they do the smallest things, that to most would seem trivial, but to me... mean the world!

Those are the moments... the REAL moments, that I hope to capture for you!

The rules for the giveaway.

In order to win you must be a follower of Melody Ann Photography on Facebook. 

Also you must follow Always Chasing Life on Facebook. 

Additional entries. Share this giveaway via facebook or twitter. Leave a comment on my blog stating why you want to win this giveaway; what kind of photos are you needing? Pin a photo done by Melody Ann on Pinterest. 

Mini Sessions are only done in the Rockford Area. To win... you must be willing to travel to the Rockford area. 

Please feel free to contact me with any questions

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dear Maddux

Dear Maddux,
I never want to forget how your whole face lights up when you see a jet in the sky. How you chase it around the yard squealing with delight because you think Super Man is off on a mission. And how you try … so bad with all your super hero strength to fly with him.

I never want to forget how in the middle of the night… you come in with both teddy bears, a lunch box of action figures and your Star Wars blanket dragging behind you to cuddle up in bed with us. You always tell me that puppy is scared and he wants to sleep with me.

I never want to forget how when I say no you look at me with the most adorable face and say “say yes mom” “pleeease” and when the answer is still no. You hug me… look at me straight on.. so serious and say “Mom, I like your hair. You’re pretty” Like this little Casanova move is going to change the answer… and I will let you run around outside with no clothes on while it’s raining.

I never want to forget how in the middle of a soccer game you find a dandelion and immediately stop playing. Pick the flower… and run over to me beaming and say “Mommy, I picked you a pretty flower”

I never want to forget how my kisses and ice cream with sprinkles… is the cure to anything and everything.

I never want to forget how much you love Nala, and when we are all in the car you insist that you two hold hands. And Nala just lays there while you clutch onto her paws.

I never want to forget that serious look on your face when you were explaining to me that Iron Man asked you for help, so this year Ho Ho needs to bring you shoes that will help you fly.

I never want to forget these little magical moments. These moments of Popsicle grins, milk mustaches, super heroes, smiles, squeals, and “Mom… Mom… watch this” Moments. I want to wrap all of these little moments and just hold onto them forever.

Thank you Maddux, for making my life magical all over again.

Love,
Mom

*** Photos were taken by Melody Ann Photography.
Which I am excited to tell you, she will be hosting a giveaway on my blog tomorrow!
Check back in tomorrow!

Gallery Shelves

So I will start this out and tell you that I am not skilled when it comes to what I call "boy work" anything that involves tools. wood, patience, planning, measuring... none of these things.

But I have developed an obsession with Ana Whites blog. If you don't know who I am talking about feel free to check her out HERE. This Girl will make you want to build. So I decided I would start out with a simple project... Something very beginner... but something that I loved.

Then I found the plans for the gallery shelving... and thought PERFECT!!!!
Anyone that knows me knows I am obsessed with photos...  so I have plenty to show off. And these would do just the trick. So I went to Lowe's asked one of their helpful people in the wood area.... I am pretty sure he was afraid I was going to kill myself... he was pretty reluctant to sell me the drill/saw combo I told him I wanted. This was right after he I didn't know what kind of wood I wanted.... the screw length I needed.... All i wrote down was the measurements of the board... screws, nails, tools.  I should mention the entire time Lauren is with me. She likes to pretend she knows what she is doing. I prefer to take the I have no clue... please help me route... which comes to find out... embarrasses her. Grow Up Lauren. Jeez. :)
But I really think in Lowe's the more clueless I am ... more willing they are to help me and actually explain it to me. Which I need. So I bought my wood, had them cut it for me, some wood glue, nails, screws, and this amazing drill/saw combo they had there. I am really stocking up on my man tools.... without the hubby. It would be nice if he would try to learn something...  someday... maybe. But hes more accident prone then me. so really maybe we are better off with me having the tool belt :)
So I we Lauren and I come back with our supplies... and we glue the boards together. Well the bracket we bought isn't big enough so we have to sit there and push the boards together for a while to have the glue set. Which really made the experience a little better. Now I am going into detail... not to just embarrass myself But instead to prove if you wanted to start out with one of those starter projects... if I survived it. So can you.
So we tried to originally just screw the shelves in. apparently that's what the guy made me buy those so called drill bits for. So after Lauren I figured it out. Googled what size drill bit we should use compared to the screw... we drilled in the shelves. Then came the hard part nailing on the front of the shelf.... Speaking of which... I now need a nail gun.
So nailing on the board. Hard... Very hard. we broke several nails... almost took off a few fingers... then Lauren had a stroke of genius and suggested we use the drill bit for this also. Amazing Idea! Wow did that make it easy. so we got them all nailed together. I sanded down the ends and that was that.

I build two more... by myself. painted them white.
and Voila.

Here we are.... Now I dont have them set up completely... I need more frames.. and need to reorganize my photos... but I figured I have waited forever so I might as well get this post up. Maybe if I remember Ill get up a final after shot once I have the photos finalized and all :)

PS. I do realize I have one photo up there twice... now you will be looking for it ;)

Well what do you think?

Next on the list.... Bench. For Maddy's playroom.





Also linking up to Tatertots and Jello here  

1000 Gifts

24. The smell of laundry running

 25. seeing all of my nieces in one day

26. peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

27. Maddux's dance moves with the hot dog dance song comes on

28. Hearing Maddux call Nala as soon as he's up in the morning