Well Rounded

Picasso Pumpkins

2012-10-29T09:15:00.002-07:00

When it came to carving pumpkins, I drew a blank! I wanted something easy but not the typical jack-o-lantern face with triangle eyes. Then it hit me... Why should I have to come up with anything? I employed Little Miss Eleanor to do the honors of drawing the face. Brilliant!

Looks just like her, right??

They turned out better than they would have, had I drawn the face.

...and thus, Picasso Pumpkins were born!

Happy Halloween!

My Girls

2012-10-23T18:04:00.001-07:00

I'm still here... just coming off of a brief hiatus. We just celebrated a couple of birthdays which called for a brief photo shoot. Since my version of Photoshop was on our computer that was lost in The Great Flood of 2012, I have been using a new photo editing website called Befunky. (What's The Great Food of 2012, you ask? Well, while the rest of Ohio was in a drought, our home, that was up for sale, was under water due to a faulty toilet hose.) Anyways, Befunky. It's very similar to the former editing site, Piknik, and although I miss Photoshop, Befunky has some fun effects and makes editing quick. Without further adiue...

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day!

What She Wore Wednesday

2012-07-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another round of What She Wore Wednesday.

This week Little Miss has decided to pair a whimsical floral top with a vibrant floral skirt. This loud number begs the question, how much floral is too much floral? Throw in a pair of striped leggings, because no outfit is complete without a few stripes, and PRESTO! You will find yourself on the next episode of What Not to Wear.

Today’s Tip: When combining patterns, consider sticking to a theme. Go all in, especially when working with a floral print!

What She Wore Wednesday

2012-07-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another long awaited installment of What She Wore Wednesday, featuring my two year old fashion guru, Little Miss. This week's outfit isn't the wildest thing she has ever come up with. You certainly won't find this beautiful butterfly sun dress and polka dotted leggins in Vogue, but I wouldn't pick a fight if she wanted to leave the house in it.

This outfit worked its way into the What She Wore Wednesday series mainly because of the way her two sidekicks are dressed.

Check these darling babies out! On the left we have Baby (Yes, her name is Baby.) She is sporting a pair of brown, orange, and yellow patterned slacks with a manufacturer-issued pink blouse. She likes her britches large so she chose a 9 month size. On the right we have Sally. She chose to go topless but kept her outfit conservative by pulling her size 2T pants up to her armpits.

Disappointed that she has been shown up by a couple of infants, Little Miss suggests that you stop back next week so she can prove she is still the best dressed, most fashionable two year old you have ever seen!

Sweet Memories

2012-07-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

Just so you are up to speed, our family has recently taken up residence at my Grandma's. She is recovering from a hip fracture and since I have been blessed with both the ability and the flexibility to help care for her, we packed up and moved in for awhile.

Living with Grandma can be a real challenge, but it has its perks, too. One of my favorites is the chance for my girls, husband, and myself to make new memories with her.

As we were taking a Gator ride today, we drove past the beach area at the pond. I commented about the out of control weeds and almost instantly my mind flashed back to a time, so many years ago, when I was in that very spot with my Grandpa.

Grandpa and I had spent the day pulling all of the weeds from the sand and spreading fresh, soft sand over the beach. He would dump the sand from the skid-loader bucket and I would work it around with the rake. As we finished up our job, I remember him taking the rake and tediously making perfect lines in the sand. Then, as we walked across it toward the house, he suddenly picked me up and said, "When you only see one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

What a sweet memory! A sweet, priceless memory of my faith filled Grandpa! I love knowing that we are creating moments like this each day that we are here. There couldn't be any greater compensation for my work!

Home For Sale!

2012-06-29T04:37:00.000-07:00

Adam and I have been in the big-decision-making business lately. About four weeks ago, we were offered the opportunity to move in with my Grandma to help care for her as she recovers from a hip fracture. Without looking back, we made the move. It isn’t quite as noble as it might sound as the benefits are pretty good for us, too. This move put us closer to our family, our friends, Adam’s work, and a community that has always felt like home. Living with Grandma is an open-ended, but temporary, arrangement. Even though it seems to be going well on both ends, I’m sure she is as relieved as we are to know this. She gets stronger and more confident every day and soon she will be able to stay by herself again!

This led us to our second big decision. We have known for some time that selling our home was in our future, but with our house sitting empty while we stay at Grandma’s it seemed silly not to try now. So, we did it! We put up the For Sale sign!

Just in case you are looking for real estate in Vandalia, here’s a few reasons you should buy our home.

It is an incredibly charming cape cod home built in 1956. It sits on ¾ of an acre at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. The tree-lined yard offers tons of space and the privacy to enjoy it.

It has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a full finished basement, and boasts many custom features such as a built-in book case, window seats, and wall paintings. One of my favorite features is the beautifully restored hardwood floors that run throughout the house.

Basically, it is the perfect home!

I know I'm biased, but I'm only presenting you with the facts!

If you are interested in more details or a private showing please contact me!

leah.koenig@live.com

What She Wore Wednesday

2012-05-30T06:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week three of What She Wore Wednesday, my take on popular blog segments that share style tips, ideas, and how-to's. Here, I share the fashion stylings of my two year old. Be prepared for some serious style inspiration!

Never mind that it was close to 90 degrees today, boots-with-da-fur are always a good choice!

And who said that wings were only for bugs and fairies?

In her hands she is holding plaid shorts which became an unseen addition to this attractive outfit.

Today's Tip: Furry boots are never out of season, no matter how bad they make you sweat!

Thanks for stopping by! Check back soon for more fashion inspiration!

What She Wore Wednesday

2012-05-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the second installment of What She Wore Wednesday where I feature the incredible fashion stylings of my two year old, Little Miss. As I've said before, all outfits in this segment are of her own making! They have not been staged in an effort to deliver a funny photo. They are a genuine attempt, on her part, to pick out clothes that she thinks look nice, and I've decided that instead of fighting with her about it, I would just take her picture and share a laugh!

Here we go...

She knew enough to put her pretty pink tights on with her fancy church shoes. She just forgot that they would look best with a dress.

Today's fashion tip: Tights can be worn under a dress or all by themselves. Pink or nude colored tights look extra special when they give the illusion that you are wearing no pants at all!

Hope you have a fashion filled Wednesday!

Let's Go Fly a Kite

2012-05-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we spent the afternoon flying a cheap little plastic princess kite. What simple fun!

And even though we didn't make our kite, I found this great site with awesome instructions that will teach you how to make your own.

http://www.my-best-kite.com/how-to-build-kites.html

Munchkin spent her time eating dandelions.

What simple things do you miss?

What She Wore Wednesday

2012-05-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

So recently, I've stumbled onto quite a few blogs that feature a segment titled What I Wore, where bloggers share photos of themselves and then tell you all about, well, you guessed it, what they wore. Sometimes they make me envious and leave me thinking, "why can't I look that cute?" Other times they irritate me and remind me that people can be so vain. On a rare occasion, they give me some much needed style inspiration. I'll be honest, I'm no slave to fashion. I love to try, but my ever changing post-baby body leaves me clueless! Since I feel like I look my best in black yoga pants (that have never seen a yoga class) and a plain t-shirt I'll leave the fashion tips to all those other bloggers and bring you my version of this style segment. It's called What She Wore Wednesday. Here, I will share with you all of the ridiculous ensembles that Little Miss E creates as she practices matching clothes and dressing herself! I promise, there hasn't been, nor will there be any staging for this segment. All outfits are genuine attempts, by my independent two year old, to look her best!

Without further ado, here is your first installment of What She Wore Wednesday...

She said that the jeans she had on did not go well with her high-heels, leggins were better. Who doesn't love stripes?? She actually wore some striped socks for awhile, too!

Weighing in at a whopping 24 lbs. she proves that horizontal stripes don't always make you look pudgy!

According to Little Miss E, the only flaw with this outfit is that her panties aren't striped!

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check back often to see some more style inspiring ensembles!

Burlap Wreath Tutorial

2012-05-16T11:08:00.001-07:00

My love affair with burlap continues. Months ago I entered a giveaway to win a wreath just like this.

Of course I didn't win. Surprise, surprise! So, I decided to make my own.

And in case you are as obsessed with burlap as I, here is how you can make your own, too.

For starters, you will need a scissors, about 2 yards of burlap, a foam wreath form

and some of these little pin guys from the floral section of your favorite craft store.

Okay, here we go. Cut a 2 inch strip of burlap and wrap it around the wreath form, hot gluing as you go so it stays in place. (Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, you'll need a hot glue gun, too.)

It should look something like this.

Next, cut about 1,000,000,000 squares of burlap, approximately 2.5 inches. (Yes, this is a slight exaggeration, but not by much... you'll need a TON!)

Then, one by one, you will fold them in half.

And then fold them in half again.

Stick a pin through the corner that has both folds. (The corner shown above.)

I used two folded squares per pin.

Finally, start sticking the pins into the wreath.

Keep sticking, and sticking, and sticking. This should should take about FOREVER. Just when you think you'll never be finished, it will be done! I placed pins on three of the four sides of the wreath so that the side against the door was flat.

I added an ivory bow for a little something extra. You can add whatever you'd like... get creative.

Hope these directions are clear. If you make your own I'd love to see your pictures!

Have a great Wednesday!

Crafting Vacation

2012-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

My days have been non-stop lately. I'm not complaining, it's just a fact. Actually, I am complaining a little bit because I've had no time to indulge in any good blogs, much less write one!

Well, I've decided to make some time today. Yep, I'm creating time. Did you get the memo, there are actually 25 hours today, and I'm spending my extra hour blogging. So, picking up where I left off... We had just gotten back from vacation and I was going to show you all the fun things I whipped up for the trip.

The Easter Bunny brought Little Miss this Elmo shirt and Munchkin these bibs.

The bibs are also available at my Etsy store.

I found this plain black mini backpack stuffed inside some luggage. It got a makeover and was perfect to carry Little Miss' airplane activities.

No great shots of this dress, but I think its my best one to date! It was perfect for Easter Sunday!

As usual, there is always one last thing to do before I go anywhere. Mumchkin reaped the benefits, and wore this sweet necklace onesize that I finished minutes before we got to the airport.

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping!

2012-04-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

Long time, no blog... Guess I've been too busy living life to blog about it! We just got back from Arizona where we squeezed a month's worth of sightseeing into a few short days. Here it is...

Day 1

We survived the plane ride and arrived in Phoenix in the morning. We went straight to the Phoenix Zoo, and by straight, I mean that we only had a few directional mishaps. Little Miss E fed a giraffe with Uncle Caleb.

Adam and I wandered off and found this ginormous cactus.

Then we came across this scary Dracula-like monkey.

Little Miss found a place to cool off, and although I took about 274 photos of her splashing around, this out of focus one is my favorite!

After the zoo we went to a little outdoor marketplace in Tempe. The only thing that was purchased was a box of Beanboozled Jelly Bellies. That went a little something like this...

"Here try this. It could taste like licorice.... or skunk."

Makes you want to vomit, huh?!?! Well guess what, Barf was a flavor option too!

We had lunch at a pub and waited for Uncle Ian to arrive from Texas. Ian had no idea that his long-distance girlfriend, Jamie, was coming along. There are next to no secrets in our family, so this surprise was huge! Wow, did I ever drop the ball on the pictures... This was the best one!

We finished the night with a long drive to our home-away-from-home in Williams.

Day 2

The Grand Canyon

Yep, the Grand Canyon. Enough said.

Nice Ian!

We ended the day with a stroll through Flagstaff where we caught a local Easter celebration, strolled through some cute little shops, sampled some locally brewed beverages, and took in some fine art.

Day 3

Hoover Dam (and a detour)

They are looking for my lens cap that took an unfortunate leap to its death over the side of the Dam.

After the Dam tour a few of us thought it would be fun to just buzz on over to Las Vegas, just to check it out. This is what we saw. Well, this and quite a few people exercising their right to have open containers while strutting up and down the sidewalks. Well, both of those things and a few freaky adult stores, some scary gang-looking people, and a few sets of fake hooters. To all you naysayers of the Vegas detour... you were right!

Day 4

Easter!! and Sedona

Munchkin had an unfortunate accident during Mass. She finished out the service wearing a blanket and Adam had to wear my brother's jacket. So, no great Easter pictures.

After a nice brunch, we spent the day hiking and taking in the sights of Sedona. In my opinion, it was more beautiful than the Grand Canyon.

We walked up to the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Luminaries lined either side of the Chapel.

Sedona is said to be filled with "vortexes" or places with high energy. We climbed up to the Cathedral Rock Vortex. I developed a terrible fear of heights on the way up and began trembling and crying. I think it was the energy from the vortex that amplified my fear. (Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Day 5

Train Ride to the Grand Canyon

The last day Adam and I decided that we would take the girls back to the Grand Canyon by train. The train ride kicked off with a western shoot-out. Then we boarded and enjoyed a two hour ride to the Grand canyon. We walked the west rim and found some breathtaking views. The ride was a little long but exciting and authentic.

Each attendant and actor was dressed to play the part. They even had a mock stage coach robbery on the return trip. We saw our fair share of wild life, four antelope even raced right beside the train.

We had such a great time while we were away. The trip went by way to fast and I almost miss the beautiful landscapes. Now we are trying to get back into the swing of real life, and me back into blogging.

Stay tuned for some exciting projects!

And The Winner Is.....

2012-03-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

Andrea Schneider!!

This beauty will be arriving at your doorstep soon!

Thanks to all who entered! Stop back soon to check out more giveaways!

I'm definitely doing another one, it was kinda exciting to see who won.

P.S. This giveaway was powered by Raffelcopter, so you know it's fair and square!

Best.Lunch.Ever.

2012-03-26T19:17:00.000-07:00

I originally pinned a picture of this cauliflower pizza recipe by Always in Wonder, only to find out that she didn't have the actual recipe, just helpful hints and great pictures. Since one more click to the original site was one click too many, I just went off her tips and made up my own recipe based on what I had in the fridge.

OOOO... So good!! Lunch around here has never been this delicious!

First, I riced a little less than one head of cauliflower in the food processor and then microwaved it for about 8 minutes. Once it was done, I added about 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, a teaspoon of Spike (one of my favorite seasonings) and one egg.

I covered a cookie sheet with parchment paper and then spread out the cauliflower mix into a shape that sightly resembled a circle. I left it about 1/4 inch thick. Then I put it in the oven at 425 until it was golden brown. I'm not sure for how long. Time seemed to go SO slowly as I sat drooling in front of the oven, but if I had to guess I'd say about 20-25 minutes.

While it was baking, I washed, cut, and steamed some broccoli and carrots. Once the cauliflower crust was golden brown, I removed it, smeared some leftover spaghetti sauce over it, and topped it with the steamed broccoli, carrots, some diced ham, and a bit of shredded cheese. Place it back in the oven and broil on low until cheese is melted.

Remove and enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week!

G...

2012-03-25T08:00:00.001-07:00

Like most things, I'm a little behind the times in the diapering department. I've recently discovered gDiapers, and although we've only been using them a day and a half, I think I could love them.

The "g" stands for green, genuine, gorgeous, grassroots, and the list goes on.

So far I'd say they make my Little Munchkin giddy!

If you haven't heard of these you should check them out!

What else don't I know about?? Please fill me in!

Freebie Friday- Storage Containers

2012-03-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

Here's the short on why I currently don't drink coffee.

During the delivery of both of our daughters, my husband and birthing partner (that sounds cheesy) had the rigorous and demanding job of staying awake. When anticipation and adrenaline weren't enough, he relied on good ole' caffeine. Even though I felt like death, my sniffer was in overdrive, and his coffee breath made me want to barf!! Now, I can't stomach the stuff.

All joking aside, Adam was awesome during both births. I guess he figured he was the reason I was there in the first place, so he stepped up to the plate.

So, after Munchkin came into the world, I went on a search for a new hot beverage to get me going in the morning. I tried hot chocolate, hot cider, some mocha thing-a-ma-jig, and a few Keurig concoctions. I finally found this stuff and fell in love...

Which leads me to today's freebie... This cute little storage container.
Not only is the cappuccino business awesome but it comes in this awesome container. It's the perfect size and it's nice and sturdy.

Here's the how-to. Start by peeling off the label and wiping out the inside with a wet paper towel.

Next, cut a pretty piece of scrapbook paper to fit through your printer. Using a blank Word document (turned landscape, not portrait) and a fun font, print your label.

Cut the paper to fit onto the canister. Hot glue the paper on. OOPS!!! My paper ended up a little too short. No biggie! I'll just employ my favorite craft material...burlap.

Hot glue a little slice of burlap over the gap using lots of glue so it won't ravel.

There you have it! I can't wait to finish some more delish Starbucks-like drinks so that I can whip out some more cute containers. I'm thinking "rubber-bands" "cords/chargers" and "chalk" for my chalk board calendar.

Thanks for stopping by! Before you go, be sure to enter to win the first-ever giveaway here at Well Rounded!! You could win this colorful cross to help you celebrate Easter!

Surfs up!

2012-03-21T08:00:00.001-07:00

Just put another big check on my to-do list.

Our niece is celebrating a birthday at the end of the month and I wanted to get her a decorative surfboard for her new surf-inspired bedroom. I found some beautiful ones on Etsy. They came with a pretty price tag, too! Since they were ~~just a little~~ way outside my budget, I decided to make one... how hard can it be right??

Good news... I was right! It's not that hard. A little time consuming, but not hard. It's a little late for step by step pictures, but here's the gist of it.

Step 1- Find a piece of wood. I found an inexpensive plank of pine at Menards for around $5. It measured 6'x12''x1''.

Step 2- Draw one side of the surfboard onto the plank. Cut it out and sand it smooth. (My final product was about 4'x1')

Step 3-Trace the finished side onto paper with a pencil making a thick, heavy line. Flip that onto the unfinished side of the plank, pencil side down, and rub over the line. This will make a perfectly symmetrical surfboard.

Step 4- Cut out the second side and sand it smooth.

Step 5- Use a router to round the edges.

Step 6- Finally, paint it. I also added a coat of polyurethane to the top for a glossy finish.

Helpful Hint: If you are uncertain about how to use these power tools, simply show an interest in learning how to use them. A man is bound to take over and make your job easy!

There you have it, your own surfboard. The middle is a little boring, I know. I'm thinking about adding some hooks and turning it into a coat rack sort of thing.

Thanks for stopping by! Hang loose... haha, get it??

It's a GIVEAWAY!!!

2012-03-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

I very proud (and a little nervous) to announce the first ever giveaway here at Well Rounded. I've wanted to do a giveaway for a while now, but there has been one thing holding me back...the fear that no one will enter. Well, as of yesterday, I have 50, YES FIFTY!! followers. I know that's small potatoes for most, but I'm hoping that with 50 followers, maybe, just maybe, a couple of people will enter.

Here's what you could win just for being awesome...

(See details below regarding how to become awesome)

This colorful, handmade, one-of-a kind beaded cross. You all had so many nice things to say about my Easter Centerpiece that I wanted to give you all a chance to win one!

To enter, check out the new gadget at the top of the side bar. It will list some simple steps, and upon completing any, but preferably all, you are in! The more steps you complete, the more times your name is entered. You must enter by March 30 so that it has time to be shipped before Easter.

Thanks in advance for entering so that I don't look like a looser who can't even give her goods away!!
Good Luck!

Newport Aquarium

2012-03-19T08:00:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we took a little drive down to the aquarium. I'm not sure I'd call it $60 worth of exciting, but it has been a whole week and Little Miss is still imitating the way the penguins walk, so I guess it was worth it.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week!

Vegetable Medley

2012-03-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure that this recipe is worth sharing because it's so easy. It's probably not even worthy of being called a recipe because it is so simple, but I'm in love with this helpful dinner secret (yeah, that's what we'll call it) so I'll tell you all about it anyways.

It comes to you compliments of my sister-in-law (thanks Brooke!) and will have you going back for seconds!

You will need:

Vegetables of your choice

olive oil

french onion soup mix

Place vegetables on cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle soup mix on the top. With clean hands, mix it all around. Place in the oven and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, give or take, depending on the type of vegetables and your desired done-ness.

Sometimes, to mix it up, I create a theme. Tonight was green and white night. Broccoli, asparagus, green peppers, cauliflower, onions, and potatoes... Delish!

Try adding a little chicken, shrimp, or steak and calling it a whole meal.

Enjoy!

2012-03-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

As of late, my lack of posting isn't due to my lack of creating. On the contrary. I've been quite busy with custom orders lately... and loving it! Filling orders gives such a nice sense of purpose to my crafting frenzies. Here's one of my most recent projects, hair flare for a bridal party.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Importance of Reading (from my little soap box)

2012-03-05T03:44:00.000-08:00

As long as I've known him, my husband has always loved to read. I wish I could say the same. Maybe it was because I was never a good reader. I was slow, jumbled my words, and it was all I could do to pay attention to what I had read. (I'm self-diagnosing here, but I'm pretty sure I was dyslexic with a touch of ADD.) So, from the second I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted my baby to share in her Dad's love, and raise a reader.

Reading is so important for little minds. It helps them develop their vocabulary, improves their comprehension, expand their imagination, and so much more!

Now, I don't claim to have any expertise in this area, and I'm sure a qualified professional could offer many more tips, but I am a Mom, and my Little Miss does love to read, so here's my advice.

1. Do it often.

2. Make books available.

3. Use your kiddo's name in place of the character.

4. Be dramatic.

Now, here's my must-read list...

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

by Michael Rosen

This book has beautiful illustrations! It uses repetition that they will quickly pick up on and recite with you. It's super suspenseful and exciting!

Pig Tale

by Helen Oxenbury

This fantastic book delivers the classic message about the grass appearing greener on the other side. It features cute pictures, it's not overly long, and it rhymes. Who doesn't love a rhyming book?!?!

Heads

by Matthew Van Fleet

This is probably the coolest book I've ever seen. Each page talks about parts of animals' heads using rhymes and brightly colored pictures. It's best feature is that it is chuck full of touchy feely things and movable parts! Check it out...

A Bad Case of Stripes

by David Shannon

Stripes, as it is know 'round these parts, is a cute story about a girl who comes down with a mysterious illness all because she isn't true to herself and her love of lima beans. I love this one because the illustrations are brilliant. I think Little Miss loves it because its silly.

We are always looking for good books...

So, I have to know, what's on your list of must-reads?

Lent Centerpiece

2012-02-28T13:47:00.000-08:00

As I sat down to eat my oatmeal this morning I knew something had to change...

I needed a new centerpiece. My Valentine's Day arrangement had expired!

So, inspired by the Lenten season, here's what I came up with.

And here's how to make your own...

You will need a wooden base, a dow rod (about 1/4 in diameter), wire, (one gauge that fits through beads, one a bit heavier to fix dow rods together) wire cutter, and a collection of random beads.

Cut your dow into two pieces, one slightly longer than the other, so that it will make a nice cross. Next, drill a hole in the center of the wooden base so that the longest dow rod fits into it very snuggly.

To create the cross fix the two dows together by tightly twisting a wire and wrapping it around as shown above.

O.K. Moving on. Fix the thinner wire to the base of the cross by twisting it tightly, using a jewelry crimp bead, or a simple square knot like I did. Then, begin stringing. I have a massive collection of mismatched beads from old projects and broken jewelry. If you aren't a borderline hoarder like I am, I think you can buy big bags of random beads at Hobby Lobby.

Once you have a nice long strand, begin winding it around the dow. The best part about this step is that you can't mess it up. Every once in awhile twist the wire around or underneath itself to help secure the beads. So, let's review... Strand, wind, twist, and repeat. Work your way up the cross and across the arms.

As you work your way to the end of the dow rod, there will come a point where you can't wrap it without the beads slipping off the end. Once this happens just start winding back the other way. To cover the exposed ends apply hot glue and top with plastic or wooden beads. (Hot glue doesn't work so super well on glass beads.)

And that's that!

Kinda looks like jelly beans, doesn't it?

I added this grass for a springy feel. You can find it in a 12x12 sheet at, where else but Hobby Lobby.

Now when I sit down for breakfast I'll be reminded of the Easter miracle!

Jesus saves!

Thanks for stopping by!

Photo Wall

2012-02-23T13:29:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to do this. In fact, I've tried before and failed. Actually, I've tried twice and failed.

That explains why I have an abundance of black frames and lots of holes left behind in the walls of apartments past.

This is the before...

Here's the during...

Trace your selected frames on brown paper bags, cut out, and tape to the wall. This will allow you to find just the right arrangement without pounding in a zillion holes in your wall.

I taped off the corners and started hanging. In hind sight I realized that I should have left the paper ones up, removed one at a time, and replaced it with the frame. Oh well, my way worked too.

I left some frames picture-less so that I would have a little flexibility in their arrangement, and just filled them in afterwards.

This is the after...

"K" Tutorial to come

Now I'm a far cry from a professional, but I've had enough flops to compile a list of tips for creating your own photo wall.

1. Plan ahead. Do you want your arrangement to have a defined shape or a more organic one?

2. Only use photos that you adore. Good quality photos that you adore!

3. Find a common element for all the items you plan to hang. I used all black frames. All different shapes and sizes, but all black. I also used our last name as a theme. One picture has Little Miss holding a Koenig sign. One frame features a "K." The long frame on the bottom spells our name in those letter photos that you see absolutely everywhere.

4. Mat (or is it matte??) your photos. It costs a little bit but makes a HUGE difference. Don't worry about the smaller frames. I chose to mat all 5x7's and larger, using the same mat for all.

5. Use a level!!!! Don't try to eyeball it. If your frames are cheap like most of mine are, they don't come with any awesome hooks on the back, and therefore shift from time to time. I bought this stuff called Candle Fast. It's a wax that is typically used to hold candles upright in candle sticks. I used a teeny tiny bit behind each frame and now I don't feel compelled to adjust them each time I walk in the room.

If you create a photo wall of your own I'd love to see your finished product!