Gold Front Hall for a Golden Birthday

Hi, internet! 

I just got back from a busy but fun weekend in DC with my mom's side of the family- 36 people in all! After celebrating 4 birthdays and a new arrival in the family, Amanda and I drove home through a snow storm in Virginia and re-united with out Lady who was in the safe care of our dear friend, Irina. 

It was a good weekend and I'm especially glad I got to see my parents but I am also glad to be back and working on everything I have to get done. I mean, now that I'm 23, it's time to be real grown-up, right?

Seeing as Saturday was my golden birthday, here's a post about my gold frame front hall!

The final product after months of finding, adding, moving and filling gold frames.

The inspiration for this whole wall was taken from the poem Desiderata mentioned in some of the captions below that my sister found and introduced me to. We both love it and practically every line speaks a very loud and clear truth about living a good and happy life. 

From sound business advice to fair warnings about romance, the poem straight-up rocks! We tried to make every picture either a quote or an image related to the overall theme and message of this poem.

If you have a minute, read the full poem at the bottom of this post! You won't regret it...

Bob. F'n. Ross.
I (illegally) printed this from a google search and I love it! 

The last few stanzas of Max Erhman's Desiderata.
My sister wrote this out and covered the text in a
thin layer of gold paint but she's iffy on the result.
 I like it but it may be a re-do down the road...

Probably my favorite picture- I found this old print of
a hunter and his pointer, perfect for our pointer mix, Lady! 

A wise but ironic quote for two very loud occupants! 

One of my sister's thrift store finds.
I love the colors and how the gold in the map sparkles. 

Mirror conveniently hung by the front door
so you can "check yoself" before you leave! 

Coming Soon...

I'm hoping to make lots of blog posts this week of all the things I've been doing lately. So many projects! And (hopefully) soon, I will be making some changes to the blog and opening an Etsy shop, which has been a goal of mine for a long time now... Get ready, people!

Thanks for reading!

Max Ehrmann 


Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

Taken from http://mwkworks.com/desiderata.html

Hang Shelves for $14

This is a follow-up to the post I made in January about the wall I painted with 
$3 leftover paint from the Habit for Humanity ReStore (check it out it here). 

Before: Messy and very, very white 

$3 for paint + $14 for shelves = $17 total

After: Shelves added and re-organized

I bought the 4 shelves for $2 each at the ReStore. They were all matching and with very little damage. Plus, all of our furniture and molding was already a similar stain. I bought brackets and hardware at Home Depot for $1.50 each in black so they would be visible and complement the black accents we had throughout the room. I also alternated the long and short ends of the brackets along the wall, just for funsies. A level, drill and pencil took care of the rest!

All the kid's stuff and board games

The goal was to make a living room that also doubled as a safe and fun area for kids when I'm babysitting, hence why the shelves are hung so high. I'll make a post (someday) about turning my house into a makeshift in-home daycare without making it look or feel like a preschool...

(Sorry if this post seems pointless- I guess I just love being cheap and doing room makeovers)

THANKS FOR READING! 

Paint a wall for three dollars

I wanted to do a project this week so, naturally, I decided to give the whole house a makeover...

Oops.

But I think it's possible, thanks to my new obsession: the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Raleigh!

I'd heard tales of these wonderful places but never lived near one until now! I've already been there 2 times in the last 2 days and will probably be back soon.

The best deal so far has been the discarded paint. That's how I painted this wall for $3.00 (plus tax) in a couple hours last night...

 Did I mention this cost $3.00?!

This is my new technique for painting:

Since I'm renting (and I absolutely hate to tape before painting), I've been leaving a border of white around every edge, window and door. I still use painter's tape for this but, for some reason, it's way easier, faster and crisper this way. Then, when I move out, I can paint the wall white without having to re-tape! Plus I like the white "trim" it creates; it gives the room a completely different feel.

Also, although I shouldn't admit it, I added a little bit of water to the paint. It doesn't take much away from the thickness (don't add too much!) and helps the paint roll easier. I picked this trick up in the high school theater shop and it worked fine in this case but I wouldn't recommend it if you 

A) are using a darker or bolder color or 

B) own the home you live in and want the paint to last for years. 

I don't know how long I'm planning on staying in one place but I can bet you I'll be worn out before one coat of watered-down paint, that's for sure!

This is the room before painting. (Meh...)

The paint: I paid $1 for the little one and $2 for the bigger one

How it looks after painting! There's still a lot left to do...

So, that's the extent of the makeover so far. 

Still to come: custom shelving, re-decorated mantel, organized kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, a custom-built table, lots of painting/spray-painting and a whole new, kid-safe play area. 

All in three days. Aaaannd I have to babysit in 4 1/2 hours.

Better get some sleep... Goodnight, internet!