More Than I Can Chew: Experiments and Frustration

I feel like I need to place a paragraph of apologies in this post, but suffice it to say: I haven't become a world class photographer since the last time I posted.

So.

I finally hung two of the prints I had for my daughter's room.

The Experiment part:

They are really close together.

This is on purpose. I didn't want to hang them too high, but I also didn't want the lowest one to be too low, because frankly, I'm not sure my just barely 2.5 year old daughter and son can handle the responsibility of art in a room they spend unsupervised time in (as in, sleeping at night, waking up in the morning).

I hung the sturdiest one (I'll explain that during the frustration part) on the bottom, hoping that if they touch it and realize it doesn't come off, they will lose interest. Meanwhile, I'm leaving the opposite side of the window bare until I learn more about the combination of this low hanging art and my toddlers. I find it better to introduce new things a bit at a time.

I am very pleased with how the frames work with the shutters and the curtain rod, even if it is very easy to work with and sometimes boring white:

And now, for the Frustration part:

I have such a hard time hanging things, particularly framed art. It really frustrates me. And when I read about people who very easily accomplish it by laying out the art on the floor first and deciding placement, I just get even more frustrated, because that never. ever. works for me.

Why?

I have yet to buy two frames that are exactly evenly weighted and hang exactly the same way on a wall. It has literally never happened to me. All the frames used for this project are from Michael's, and they are the exact same frame, yet the center of gravity for each frame is totally different.

Even though I decided placement before hanging them, I still had to move the screw (for the hanging apparatus on these frames, I prefer the grip of a screw. I'll take a photo of it when I hang the next two). I started by using a ruler and level to place the screws directly in line, but the perfectly lined up screws made one of the frames tilt to the left. So I moved the screw, and it titled to the right. I kept moving it until both frames were straight and aligned. And even with all that work, the top one still swings if touched.

The math? Two frames hung, two holes being used, four holes lurking behind the art, which I'll have to putty and paint if I ever redecorate the room or we decide to move.

I have learned that I get a lot less frustrated if I just accept that this happens to me, and go into the project knowing I'll be creating a lot of holes. It helps that I'm going to put off the other side for a few more days.

Meanwhile, elsewhere at the ranch, I have relocated a photo gallery wall to a large staircase wall and ledge I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with.

It is a large wall, and I have a lot of pictures to go. I didn't bother laying out these beforehand, mainly because this wall will fill in as our family goes along. Everyone (mainly me) will just have to deal with part of the wall being blank until the pictures are taken and framed.

I estimate the wall being... I dunno. Twelve feet by ten? With a ledge. So... big. I might hang empty frames as I find them, and then fill in when a picture becomes available. My husband thinks my habit of doing that is hilarious. From time to time we live with the pictures of strangers that come with the frames.

I also plan to use art and such in what is essentially a collage. That drawing in the lower left corner is by me, that wooden man was recently snapped into two by my son so was pushed further down the ledge than he will ultimately rest when my son is old enough to not toss him down the stairs.