Spit Flings & Other Things...

Photography is something I really love to do. Always have ever since I got my first SLR from my parents for my 8th grade graduation present. I even went to college while I was in High School to study photography on the side. I loved developing my own film and prints. Times sure have changed because no one uses “film” any more with digital photography. But, I have always maintained my love for taking pictures and have just rolled with the changing technological times.

After our first Europe trip in 2007, I got this giant collage frame and put in some of my favorite pictures from each place we visited. I hung it on the wall in our hallway by my laundry room intending to use that wall as my “gallery wall” to hang pictures from our travels. This spot just never felt right to me though and the wall remained unfinished. So, last week I got serious about my “gallery wall” and decided to finish it. I wanted it to showcase not only the pictures from our 2007 Europe trip, but also our most recent Europe trip earlier this year.

The problem is I am TERRIBLE at math and measuring and hanging pictures. I don’t measure anything. I just keep punching holes in the wall and hanging things till they look right to me when I stand back. Also, I always have trouble with the hanger on the back of the frame. I know where I want the frame to be, but how do I mark where the hanger is on the frame so I can put the nail in the right place?? Measure??? Naaa. Just put one hole, hang the picture, step back and see if I need to move the nail right, left, higher or lower. If you look behind just about any item I have hanging on my wall, I guarantee you will find more than one hole! That’s is just the way I do things.

Since I was getting serious and all about hanging my pictures, I figured they should at least be even and straight. For once. I also thought there has to be a better way to accomplish this than by chance or by measuring. Martha Stewart had an idea like this, but I made my own variation of it. Less measuring this way. So, here’s what I came up with.

First, I grabbed a roll of wrapping paper. Then, I laid each 8 x 10 frame down on the paper and traced an outline of the frame on it to make a template. Next, I cut out each paper “frame” along the outline I drew so each one was the same size as the frame. Finally, I placed each piece of paper over the back of the frame so I could mark exactly where the frame’s hanger was located.

Now it was time to hang my paper “frames” so I could get them level and in the right position before I riddled my wall with nail holes. Using Christmas wrapping paper helps this process along.

Once I had my nails in the right spot, it was time to pull the paper “frames” off the wall leaving the nails exactly where they should be.

Once I had all my paper “frames” level and in their proper places, it was time to start putting nails in the wall. This was made easy by the fact that I marked the nail holes on the paper “frames”. So, nails in!!

Of course, this still didn’t keep me from scuffing the heck out of my wall. Oh well, nothing a little Mr. Clean Magic Eraser can’t fix.

After that, all that I had to do was hang the frames.

They amazingly came out level and even! I did have to use a level to get my Pisa picture straight. It played a strange trick on the eye when you looked at it! Pisa is funny that way sometimes.

I really liked the way the wall turned out. And that the pictures are pretty darn even. Who knew wrapping paper was the key!

All of these 8 x 10 prints were originally in color. But, I worked them over on my computer and aged and antiqued them. I think they came out pretty good in their antiqued state.

I was going to order 8 x 10 prints from Kodak or Costco, but I didn’t like the way their websites were cropping my photos. So, I printed them at home myself. On plain old copy paper. I can’t believe they turned out like they did. Since I already had the frames this was a free project!

I love walking by this wall now and seeing all of my favorite European spots. These are the pictures I took that really warm my heart and bring back such wonderful memories each time I look at them.

Here they are up close and personal in their antiqued state.

First is in Florence in our favorite Piazza della Signoria. This picture shows the Palazzo Vecchio from the vantage point of the bronze Equestrian Statue by Giambologna.

Next is the interior of Notre Dame in Paris. I love how this picture shows off Notre Dame’s architecture in all of it’s gothic glory!

Next to Notre Dame is the Tower Bridge in London.

First in the next row is lovely Pisa with the Leaning Tower and Duomo.

Next to Pisa is Venice. This is the view of the Grand Canal from one side of the Rialto Bridge. I love the lone gondola going by in the water.

I must confess that this Bridge of Sighs picture is not from our 2009 trip. It is from our 2007 trip. I couldn’t bare to use the one from our 2009 trip because they had the whole thing covered in ads for construction.

Next to the Bridge of Sighs, is a picture I took at the Colosseum in Rome. This was of a dude dressed as a Gladiator at an Opera concert going on there. I love the way he looks from the back framed by the Colosseum.

I couldn’t hang all of my favorites, because I ran out of wall space. But, all in all, I am really happy with the way my gallery wall turned out. Makes me want to go to Europe all over again!

Next, we are back to Piazza della Signoria in Florence again. This is the Left Lion Roman statue. It was found in Rome and moved to Florence in 1600 where it sits today in the Loggia della Signoria. I think this statue is beautiful! I love the detail in the lion’s face and mane.

On the other side of our 2007 trip collage frame in the top row is The Bridge of Sighs in Venice.

This gorgeous specimen of a man needs no introduction. It’s all in the eyes!

YUCK! The effect was not quite the same, so I used the picture I took in 2007. Much better in comparison I think!

First in the last row is from our visit with Marjolein Bastin in the Netherlands. This one is from her beautiful gardens!

Next is of the gold gates in Versailles.

The last photo on the wall is Big Ben and a bit of the Houses of Parliament in London.