Just for the fun of it

I have been wanting to spruce up our living room, and one thing i have been wanting to do is hang some more pictures- but holy smokes are picture frames expensive, at least when you want to multiple it by 10. So on a recent trip to one of my not-so-secret-anymore favorite stores, I grabbed a few super cheap frames from Hobby Lobby in their craft section (I am talking about start at $1 a frame here) as well as a couple other odds and ends and ta-da! i got a wall collage of stuff for a steal. My wall started out like this:

 i wanted to make sure what i got would work so i quickly organized a layout i thought could work (this pic is missing a few pieces but you get the idea)

 I actually used white paint that we had left over from when we re-painted our picket fence outside. So yes it is exterior paint, but it sure worked great! And i swear by frog tape (the yellow tape below) for any project that you need crisp lines for.

 After a few quick coats of paint, I let my frames dry over night and quick threw in some pictures we had on hand.

 I knew it was going to be tricky hanging these, so i quick traced the frames on some paper and cut them out so I could have templates to work with (I also poked holes in the paper where the nails should go by just laying the paper on the back of the frame and poking a pencil through the slots)

 After I got everything lined up and leveled, I got Nate to help me hang them (usually we can't do projects together, but this one went really well! I thought so at least..) And we ended up with this layout. I threw some cork in the frame on the bottom to use to pin up christmas cards (ok, so we don't really get too many- maybe because none of our friends have kids yet? I'm just gunna go with that..) or for other random stuff I find to be PIN-appropriate (get it? cause i love pinterest? ah, i crack myself up sometimes...)

I really want to get a table to go under the frames but that will have to wait for another day. 
Happy fall everyone!

Photo Challenge

Over a year ago, we bought a Canon EOS Rebel T1i

and we still really don't know how to use it how it should be used. We had very good intentions that we would learn and take a lot of great pictures, and while it definitly takes great pictures and we have improved slightly, we still have a lot to learn..over the past few months, i have been pinning a ton of tips and resources on ways we can get to know our camera and use it to its full potential

 I may have a pinterest obsession, but i don't want to be someone who never uses the great inspiration it provides!So I have decided to take the (drumroll please) 30-DAY PHOTO CHALLENGE! (ignore the dates below, obviously whoever created this pin did not take into consideration that it is not June every month)

 yes, it will be great fun. one of the tips i got from a photographer was to just take your camera with you everywhere. so if you see my during the next month, please know that i am not lugging my camera everywhere because I am a super photographer who can't live without their camera. wish me good luck!