Silhouette Wall Collage

I have these large walls in my basement that were in need of some love.

I love collages, but every time I try it is an utter failure. I would stare at other's collages and wonder why do their's look good?! 

Here is what I figured out:

1. Balance. Get a few matching shape frames to weight the collage.

2. Create a center line. While some of the frames are ON the line there is still a symmetrical line.

3. Colors. Make a scheme.

4. Lay out your collage, then take pictures so you can see it in a new way. 

5.  Cut out paper to match your frames exactly so you can tape them on the wall and tweak as needed. This is the most important step. Less nail holes in the end. 

{too high, BUT the center lines are marked so tweaking was a breeze-ish}

     Ex. I measured, did math, and hung up all the little papers and when I took 4 steps back realized the WHOLE collage was way too high. While annoyed, at least there were no nail holes and 3 tweaks later it was at the perfect height.

6. Shop goodwill for frames. All of these frames were goodwill or garage sale. Who cares what the ugly picture inside is, look for shape and lines. Pictures can be ripped out and replaced. Cheap!

And while those aren't riveting ancedotes, maybe other people who are scared of collages or OCD may find this helpful.

This whole thing came about because I am in love with silhouettes. It borders on obsession. However, I don't want just any silhouette I want my family. So we took photos and I lovingly turned them into my favorite silhouettes.  

 

I really love how it all turned out and it is the first collage I haven't torn down 3 days after putting it up.

Up close look at their silhouettes.

iPod Photo drop

Look at me 2 posts in 2 days.

Today I finally took the 3 minutes needed to load my iPod photos on my computer. Why? Because today we said good-bye to our "Zach Morris" phones and joined the technology age and got our first smart phones...evah. This is all made possible by my wonderful parents who added us to their plan, which some how made it affordable for us otherwise it could have been another 6 years. HA!

{Taken today. Lo picked out my color}

So without further ado the iPod dump. Apparently this goes clear back to May.

At the end of May I took my level 2s to districts to compete! It was a super fun weekend and we took home 3rd. Not too bad.

Unfortunately while I was gone we got the news that Chad's grandfather had passed away. We are so thankful for his life and that he is now pain free and living life with Jesus in heaven. It is such a blessing to us to know we will all be re-united again one day.
These photos are from the funeral we had some time to waste between the service and graveside. So why not got to the park in your Sunday best?!

It was a tad unseasonably hot for early May here, which required early swim suits wear and water fun.

Rainbow toes! Yes, those are my son's feet at the end. I know people think I am nuts for painting his toes, but in his 3yo mind it is just fun to paint things...I am sure as the sun rises in the East that one day he will realize that only girls paint their nails and will run screaming from our nail brushes.

 Let me show you my level of lazy...somehow these loaded upside down...not even going back to fix it. Um, once again my son in princess dress up. What can I say he loves to dress up.

Went to a friend's birthday and her son apparently needed all the ice pops! HA!

Our little neighborhood garden. It is out of control now...we shall see what we produce.

More dress up. See they can dress gender appropriate sometimes. HA!

Ah, a little craft project for me. So I heart instagram and have all these cute photos I want out, but let's face it not really frame worthy. So I came up with a way to display my IG photos. I loved how it turned out.

Summer sprinkler romp that lasted what 2-3 minutes?!?! Sounds about right.

Meg and I getting our sweat on. We are trying hard to get back into shape. Trying being the operative word...HA! What can I say we like chocolate too much.

First pool swim of the summer. Now that it is June you would think we would go more, but now it's all rainy every other day...boo.

Whilst preparing for my garage sale, Lo stumbled upon a boxed up collector's edition Olympic Kid gymnastic doll. Her eyes lit up. This doll was given to me on my 15th birthday. I love cabbage patches and it was during the 1996 Magnificent Seven's run {getting us the GOLD!} Gosh, I still get goosebumps remembering that moment. This doll hasn't been outside that box for 16 years! When Lo saw her I just knew she had found a home. I am sort of all toy story when it comes to toys and dolls and I literally felt bad that this cabbage patch had never been loved until today. {yes, I am a weirdo}. So my little pre-teamer for working so hard to move up she is now yours. {I actually have no idea what she named her...I should ask. HA!}

More "vintage" toy finds. Daddy's bat mobile from his childhood!

During the garage sale they made rainbow loom bracelets and sold hand-drawn pictures and made $4. $4 people. All for just being freakin' cute. They decided to donate their monies to their churches. Super cool.

Garage Sale helper...

My creative thinker. Car port for her cars.

Here is Lo's finished dresser! I went with the tiffany blue and white with krylon gold handles.
I was leaning that way anyway, but when I walked down the aisle of Ace and found a gallon of mis-tint tiffany blue for $5 I took it as a sign.

I think her room is nearly complete...for today. HA!

This boy is my love bear. He snuggles and snuggles...even if it is all night in my bed. {Whole other story} MW just can't get enough momma loves. Who am I kidding I can't get enough of this boy.

The Start of Summer

Soo....I am a working mom now.
Confession. While I totally appreciated and respected working moms before, I totally get it now.
I use to not quite get how they didn't have time for their passions or blogging...
Gah, it is all I can do some nights to stare at the tv. HA!
I really don't work that much--20ish hours/week but being a gymnastic coach is sort of a physically--mentally--and let's face it emotionally {hello! pre-pubescent girl drama hormones} demanding job; so  come home drained.
I hate doing these recap posts, so I will try better, but for now it is what it is.

He marches to his own drum. No clue what is going on here.

Lo on the other hand says things like--
"Mom, I drew a picture of a dead snake without its head."
Me: "why can't you be a normal girl and like princesses and fairies?!"
"why can't I like dead snakes?"
Then proceeds to draw more roadkill.

Here she is beating down an ant hill. Often I wonder what it would be like to have a girly girl, but then I remember she is all I ever wanted.

Busting out the kiddie pool.

Chillaxin.

My heart.

The rest of my heart.

Daddy took these while I was at work.
Cowgirl Leighton and her trusty horse Princess Buttercup.

A horse has got to eat and so does her dog wrangling fido--Rainbow.

Tucker is assessing his chances on snagging said snack...

Summer nights making doll trains. See sometimes she can be a girl. HA!

Evening bike ride.

So Lo's room is constantly a work in progress...who am I kidding my whole house is. Anyway, I was looking for opinions on what to paint Lo's dresser. All white, tiffany blue, berry pink with white trim...the list goes on. I have had this on my summer list for 2 years! Honestly, I was scared.
Today I bit the bullet and painted it. Eek!! So stay tuned. :)

But because I find those pinterest pictures so annoying with their perfect rooms, that you know deep inside is NOT what their daughter's room looks like--I thought I would bestow a in real life photo of Lo's room. Now honestly this was not on our best day. She is to make her bed (but it never looks like I did--duh she is 5) but every once in awhile we let it slide. :)

and well this is all I have for now...waiting to download photos off my iPod...so until then.