Gallery Wall Finally Completed..

Remember that post way back when I asked Inspired Room to have a gallery wall party (and I bragged about her mentioning me and feeling famous-gasp!).. well I finally got around to taking all those photo frames I collected from Ikea and Target and filling them and placing them in the stairwell last Thursday. I really love SawDust & Paper Scraps wall and wanted to recreate that.. but got lazy and did all black frames to tie in with the black mirrors over the fireplace which are visible as you walk down the stairs. It started out like this..

I let it soak in and decided it needed changing.


To hang them I just laid them out on the floor to see what is best.. but hope on over to YHL-Hammer Time and see how they hung them using paper to measure the perfect measurements, make sure their level..etc. I am not a perfectionists and I have learnt that to fill holes in the wall,  toothpaste hardens and you can paint right over it. I am not afraid of nail holes. So I just started nailing em up and if I stepped back and it didn't work I took it out and tried again. I am sure YHL way of the paper templates is much easier and faster since the finished product took me 3 hours to do. But I completed it and I love the way it looks.

Looking Up stairs

 Closeups

Than I decided I wanted to add more especially the hibiscus painting is from one of my sweet students and I love it soo much. The other pics are from our wedding, trips to Saint Louis, Washington D.C., Key West, Bahamas and Hawaii of course plus other random good memories from our seven years together. There are two pics of sea turtles we swam with in Hawaii, two shadow boxes filled with trip memorabilia (one has our wedding invitations in it) and maps also on the wall. I love that we still have room to add pics when we have kiddos.Two of the frames are these awesome art frames from target. They open and you can store art work inside.. you can see them on YHL wall too: Art Frame!! and Here TOO!!

Here it is looking down the stair well...  I am so happy with the end result and Nate loves it too!
I also hung at the top of the stairs our sign from Hawaii. I put maps from the Flordia Keys behind it.

It says The Embley's and every letter is a different mural in itself. It is very cool.

In other news I have pulled out all the bathing suits and summer clothes because it is soo hott. I love sporting the shorts, flip flops and tanks. But I also own a ton of capris since I can wear them multiple places. I wore this last week while cleaning my class room out. I love the hawaii lei look of the tshirt.. and boy was I dusty, sweaty and worn out after cleaning my classroom out.

Well I'll post about our Memorial Day Weekend soon.. hope you are enjoying summer!

Exhausted..

Last week was an incredibly long week.. I had projects to do around the house, my ring to get fixed, hair appts, my mom's appt, Nate's appt, than spending all day Friday setting up for the science festival and all day Saturday at the festival. Needless to say I am exhausted. Even after my extra day off Monday I am still exhausted.  I slept in Monday- but than last night I stayed up late trying to finish my presentation for my master's class and with yesterday off today really is my monday! I hate Mondays! Luckily for me, I get to go and see Jake play tball tonight and play with lil miss Mia. Yesterday I also got to snuggle with Miss Gracie Lewis and play with Gordon ( I say play but lil G Man is shy around me).. he warms up right when I am leaving..lol. Guess I will have to spend more time with him this summer.

Well last week I showed you my DIY calendar for our family. I wanted to create a family message center of sorts on this wall. Keeping it fun! I wanted somewhere where we could display notes, pictures and maybe eventually kiddos art.

I have decided that when I first decorated our house it was too serious and grown up. It wasn't to my tastes because I thought I needed to decorate according to what everyone else was. When in reality I like things fun, light and not serious at all. I like bright colors like white, blue, greens..etc. And even if I change my mind later at least I gave it a shot right. Plus your house should be a reflection of you and what you love so now I am trying to build that in our home.

I loved the kitchen gallery memo wall I created but I thought it needed a tack board and some color. I didn't want to put too much up and make it too busy since it is a narrow hallway. Plus I couldn't find any boards I liked that weren't over 100 bucks (I love Ballards with the lovely frames). Than I went on DaySpring with my 25% off and found great stuff for the gallery wall in the stairs and the kitchen.


I found this awesome metal strip with clips to display art, notes or pictures. I also loved that the clips had scriptures and inspirational qoutes on them with cute things like flowers. I took a close up of the clips. they have this in black and brown. I love them and it wasn't expensive.

 

I also found this awesome plague and I loved the bright colors!

Here is a pic of the whole wall now.. I love it and how inspiring it is. Plus we can display our favorite people next to the calendar too!
 

Hope you like the gallery wall!
I have all the frames for the gallery wall up the staircase but have yet to start. I know the pictures I want to display but I want to hang the frames first in case I want to rearrange the frames. I bought another frame from DaySpring to display. Here it is:

I really liked the saying and the beach theme to it.  And here is my stack of frames just waiting to be hung and filled. I got two shadow boxes to fill with hawaii reminders of our wedding/honeymoon trip. Oh and yess that is my backpack on the ground too..lol.

On an end note- someone in our house is enjoying the spring weather and the windows open (Bella). She just adores sitting high in windows and furniture. Here she is stalking birds from the window. Bella and Smokey actually fight over open windows so Bella always ends up in the bathroom window because she is mobel enough to get up there.

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Inspired Room

Have you checked out the inspired room? Well I absolutely adore Melissa there and I friended her page on FB.  I have been wanting to do a gallery wall up my stairwell much like the one in my entry way but the angle scares me. I am afraid it won't look right going up the massive wall. So I logged onto Inspired Room and google searched gallery walls and found this post..http://www.sawdustandpaperscraps.com/2010/04/entry-wainscoting.html
I absolutely adore those frames and the way she put up the frames along the wall just so right. AHH! So I logged onto Melissa's FB page to tell her thanks for the inspiration and featuring this wall and asked her to do a linky party on gallery walls. Well she is doing one now- just for me (and her other readers of course)!! Wohoo!
 Check out Melissa's most recent post found here-http://theinspiredroom.net/2011/03/30/gallery-walls-inspiration-pictures-a-linky-party/

She even mentions me! Here is the part of the post where I am mentioned (not bragging.. just feel special here)
"Want to create your own gallery wall?



Need more inspiration? Or do you have a gallery wall ready to show off? Well one week from today we are going to show off our gallery walls in a Gallery Wall Linky Party! Woot!





Thanks to Tricia from The Inspired Room Facebook page for the idea! You rock!






Everyone can play, no matter what style of Gallery Wall you have. And if you don’t have one, maybe this party will inspire one at your house! You can whip one up just for the occasion if you’d like!






Get ready, cause here it comes! Get your posts ready to link up next Wednesday April 6th. You can create a new post featuring your wall, or it is fine to link up an old post!"




 I feel famous that I was mentioned on Inspired Room. Completely and underly made my day! Melissa really is great all around, great advice, replys to readers and down to earth. Wish I could meet her one day!

Easter & Spring Decor has vomitted itself on our house- Project 14

Look my hibiscus tree is blooming! Yeah!

Well this week was hard to say the least. I am struggling with my emotions still over the baby, it was report card week (stress because I procrastinated on grading major projects), dealt with drama at school with students, and I had huge assignments due in my Master's classes.. on top of that I have a sinus infection/upper respiratory infection so I feel like crud. Nate has been in a tennis tournament for 2 days now and he has bronchitis too. When he went to the Dr. the Dr. found a mass in his right ear so he is seeing a specialist for that. Praying that is nothing. Also my mom was seen this week and they found cancerous and precancerous cells on her face for skin cancer. Cancer and my mother seem to be way too friendly these days.  She is going back to get treated again April 7th. I am taking her to that appt. and my boss gave me holy hell for asking off to take my mother to the dr. I think is ridiculous because by law it is none of her buisness why I am taking off and two she took of more than 6 weeks to be with her father who had cancer (she should understand). She was upset because I was taking off two days prior to the Science Festival-give me a break I am going to be there for the festival.. any how.

Last week I decorated for spring and I meant to share pics but I was soooo busy. So I am gonna share the pics and than go get my oil changed and off to a GF's house for her daughter's spa sleepover bday (I am a relaxation specialist for her bday).

 

If You notice there is a huge stack of papers are on the pool table behind the fireplace.. umm yea that is grading at its worst. Just focus on the spring mantel instead!! Lol

The first pics are with our Eastery E for Embley on the door and our new double door mat by PB.I think I said in a previous post I ordered a blue/green striped rug for our Kitchen eating area and the door mat. I recieved the door mat but my original rug for the kitchen got lost in an UPS warehouse. PB though is replacing it for free and it should be here this week- hence no pics yet. But I love love the PB double door mat. It looks so much better with our double doors- Nate calls it the HUGE rug! Love it! 

In the kitchen I added a springy runner on the table (I bought two of these short runners at Target for summer parties in the gazebo too) I than added some natural bees wax candles in my shabby chic candle holders and a pedestal with eggs and moss. I think it looks awesome.. but bella keeps eating the moss..ugh.
 I didn't change much on the mantel. The mantel scape I added bunny garland, moss bunnies next to the hydrangea vases, and Spring Blocks in front of the Hawaii Map. I feel that it is very springy in a festive way and definately not understated. I wanted some accesories that when I have kids I can place in their rooms, their bath and around the common areas that they would love (think bright colors) just like my mom did when I was little. So I made sure everything was kid friendly.

In the entry way I updated  the chalkboard decorated with feather/egg wreath and egg tree with more word blocks that state "jelly beans, colored eggs, easter bunny" on them. Also by the front door is my yarn wreath with Fancy Chicks on it.

Lastly in the bar area of the dining room, I added a bright green lantern (found at Lowes of all places). I think it looks great for spring and can transition into summer too! I love how all the bright colors transition well. I also added some eggs to my pedastal on the coffee table with my candles.
Hope you enjoy and your house is feeling very springy.

Check out theinspiredroom.net for her springy mantel. I am working on a gallery wall for my stairwell currently that will incorporate our wedding momentos and be able to grow when we have a baby. Young House Love turned me on to shadow box type of frames that can display artwork (until we have a baby it will display 8*10 photos). But I asked for more inspiration and Inspired Room will be doing a gallery linky April 6th. Can't wait. Be sure to look for it!!

St Patty's Decor- Project #8

 Mantel Decor- Greenish Blue Hydrangeas, Nate's Baby Cup (tribute to his red hair on the mantel), Ireland pic, heart st patty's garland

 Close up

 Entryway vingette- Chalkboard with yarn wreath, greenery and lettered blocks

 Close up of Dingle Pennisula in Ireland

 Front Door

My Newest Additions:Our Adorable St Patty Pillow & Sign

So Valentine's is over which means yea St Patrick's Day is soon!! Which is one of my favorite holidays for many reason..after St Pattys means spring break and flowers blooming, I am of irish hertitage as well as my red-headed hubby, and it is my saints day. Being raised Catholic you have a saint's day and my saint is St Patrick. 

One day this past week I got tired of seeing all the pink and red decor. I love pink but the frillyness of Valentines was getting old. I was ready for Spring, St Pattys Day and Spring Break! I took all the valentines decor down and pulled out my lil bit of St Patty's decor I have. I say lil bit but if you go to my decor closet I have boxes of decor for each holiday. I can't wait till I get to pull out my easter/spring stuff! Wohoo. I love decorating for holidays and I love having things different for each one. I also like changing things such as pillows and accessories with seasons so it feels as if the house is changing too. In fall I use reds and browns, Christmas I add more whites and blues, spring I love all the brightness, and summer I love the aquas and blues. I will have to blog more about the seasons.

Anyways it brings me to my St Patty's. I added the celtic welcome cross to the front door. I added the letter blocks on the entry table with a green tree instead of the typical orchids. I felt the green was welcome for st pattys. I than added my yarn wreath on the chalk board with a cheery Happy St Patty's Message. On the mantel I added heart four leaf clover garland, nate's baby tin cup, and a picture of the homeland Ireland. I kept the Hawaii Map and our wedding pic. I love them and I feel they are welcome all year around, plus Nate loves art and pictures up..when I was putting them on the mantle he said OH I really like that.. wow ok!! Just seeing the map of my happy place- hawaii and our wedding pics make me happy. When I was putting up the decor, Nate was sitting on the couch and I said mind if I put the Ireland pic up and your baby cup. He said really I always wanted my ireland pic on the mantle. Glad he can enjoy the decor too.  Lastly I added our sign a wee bit irish and our pillow. I think it is just enough st patty's touch and I can't wait for Easter!

Side Note to St Patty's: Inspired Room just did a beautiful post on decorating with things you love and things that are important to both you and your spouse since you both live there. I always try to keep Nate's taste in mind. I say I because I do most of the decorating and he does the installing (hard work).  But he has clearly stated that decor is my area and he is okay with what I do. With that said I know what he dispises (anything grandmaie lol, country, floral and a lil too shabby chic). Nate doesn't like alot of change. He likes simple, functional and true to us. He likes a room to reflect my perspective but as he puts it he lives here too.  He appreciates art, pictures of our travels, photos of our families, accepts my love for all things coastal and white. He has specifically stated he hates words (like subway art..lol) and prefers art and photos on the wall. He is dying for me to put a collage similar to the one in the entry in the stairwell.

He dispised white before but likes the idea of bleach now..lol. He is truely a mans man and likes practical things- but he adores a comfortable house such as the one we live in. He accepts my disorganization behind closet doors and love for decorating, throw pillows, milk glass, seagrass baskets and clutterless rooms. I say clutterless rooms because they look clutterless till you open my disorganized closets..lol! He swears I will change when we have kids and accept clutter. I love him for accepting my flaws, wants and desires and I truely hope my house reflects us both. I know that both of our favorite items in our house have been hand me downs or given to us by our families. Which makes me beam that I have a hubby that likes furniture with a story!! Our dining table, kitchen table, pool table, guest room headboard, dressers, and bar cart were all others before they came to us!!But we like to make them ours and I am proud to say it is ours!

Thank you dear for putting up with my crazt DIY obsessions, listening to me and guiding me when I get frustrated with a project and you have to finish it. You are fab!!

Valentines in the E Casa

Well it's been super busy around the Embley casa. Like usual we have been teaching, I have been in my masters program, and we have been doing things around the house and enjoying our friends. I have made a ton of project lists and have only completed a couple of them..lol. But I found beautiful vintage shutters to display on my new mantel I ordered recently. So that is exciting. I will post pics of the shutters painted aqua with my special personalized subway art soon(hint-it is beachy with our wedding date)!!  But the cottage/vintage/traditional look is coming togeather and the great thing is it is all very versatile. On to other news...We recently planned a little trip to New Orleans to celebrate Julie's 30th in April. We also are planning our second honeymoon (baby moon) last vacay with out kids for July..but we are waiting for my check for my stipend from school. It got lost in the mail in December and they just voided and recut the check Feb. 1st. So now I hope this one will make it here. We are going to have our babymoon and put a little nest egg of $$$ away for baby/mommy..lol It will be for maternity leave etc.  Also great news!!!  We closed again on the house and everything went just as planned!! Hooray!

Feb. is in full swing. I can't believe Valentines is right around the corner! Well when I was growing up my mom always decorated for the major holidays- halloween, thanksgiving, christmas, and easter. She did small things for us for the smaller holidays such as valentines. But she wasn't into decorating for the small holidays as much. Now that Nate & I have our own house I like to change the decor up with the holidays and seasons. Nate really enjoys the winter seasons such as thanksgiving and christmas because we go home to see family and we have a break from work.  These are my favorite holidays too.. so I gravitate towards their decor and I forget about the other holidays!! Oopps. I have a TON of christmas decor..I have started a great collection on my fall decor.. and today after getting the PB catalog I got a jump start on my easter and St. Patty's day decor. More of that later.

The great thing about the main great room is that now all the main items are neutrals. The couch and arm chair are a chocolate brown. Area rug is a cream that matches the burlap/linen colored drapes and walls.  So it is super easy to just add a few things to give pops of color for seasons. It also makes it easy for the house  to feel not so drab in the winter months which I hate.

So I started to pull out my valentines decor and noticed it is basically non exsistant. I know I need to work on it. I have vowed to do better next year because I want to be the mom that my kids remember certain holidays because I made it awesome. My mom used to have us build scarecrows in Oct. and I loved it!! She also had a christmas village we put up every christmas and helped with the tree. I love these holidays because she involved us and made it special.. so I need to do better with the little holidays too.

I have a few vday pieces. I have a heart door mat I bought at target the very first valentines Nate & I were together. I recently purchased a new door hanger for vday because some how in the move I can't find my old one. I found my little heart rose wreath and than I bought an XoXo glitter sign to put on the entry way when you walk in. Than I pulled out my vday pillow I have had and another love pillow. Lastly on our coffee table is red candles and a heart candy dish full of pink, red and silver dove chocolates. The pics are below.

I have to say my favorite this season has to be my chalkboard. I layered the wreath over it and than wrote love scripture on the board. Verses are listed below:

My lover is mine and I am his. Song of Solomon 2:16
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth- for your love is more delightful than wine. Song of Solomon 1:2
Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it is not rude. Love rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always preserves. Love Never Fails  1 Corinthians 13
I obviously had to shorten the corinthians verse due to lack of space on the chalk board.. but it is a classic and I wanted to put it on there.
My absolute favorite is his kisses are more delightful than wine.. perfect for a wine lover like me to write!!
Well hope you enjoyed! I loved following the Valentines Mantel linky on the blogs I follow. I love seeing how creative others are. Hopefully next year I will be the same ;)

 Front Door with Vday Decor (DIY frosted glass I did) & Mat

Entry Way- Chalkboard, Rose Heart wreath & XoXo

 All my Luv Scriptures I chose to write on the chalkboard

Above- Hugs & Kisses pillow  Below- Hand Stamped Love pillow


















Happy Valentines Day!!