How to Lay Out a Gallery Wall

This post will show you a simple technique to lay out gallery wall so everything is spaced the way you want, without the trial and error of putting a lot of nail holes in your wall.  My example is very small-scale (only two photos), but this technique would work well for any size gallery wall. 

Materials:  

• picture frames
• paper
• painter's tape
• scotch tape
• pen or marker
• nails
• hammer
  Also useful:
• tape measure
• level

How-to:  

Cut paper to size of frames.  I used computer paper since it was handy, taped together in order to make it large enough.  

Next, lay your paper template over the back of the frame and feel where the hanger is.  Mark were the nail would be with a pen or marker.  

Now's the fun part - start laying out your gallery wall by hanging up the paper templates with painter's tape and moving them around until you're happy with the height, spacing, etc.  Here is where a tape measure and level might be useful if you have large pieces to hang or want to get the spacing absolutely perfect.  

Next nail right through your paper templates, where the marking for the hanger is.  Then take down the templates, ripping the paper off around the nail.  

Now hang up your photos, and they'll be spaced just the way you wanted them!  

This tiny gallery wall is in our family bathroom - it will have black and white photos of our little one taking a bath and brushing her teeth.  I can't wait for the photos to come in so I put them in the frames!  

Working on Resolutions

I've started to tackle one of my resolutions:  going through my clothes and cleaning out the closets.  I've already gone through my bureau and started on the walk-in closet, and it's refreshing to see the pile of stuff to go get bigger.

What may be more refreshing? Trying on the shorts and jeans I had tried on at the beginning of summer and wrote off as a loss to my post-baby body but they fit again - yes! 

I may have a t-shirt problem though.. t-shirts from college, concerts, races, volunteering.  I hardly wear them but I can't seem to bring myself to get rid of most of them either.  I've seen ideas on Pinterest on turning t-shirts into a quilt and maybe that will be a future project. 

I still have a long way to go to finish the great clean out of 2015 but the little one has been napping and sleeping horribly lately, not leaving me much time to get things done.

Confession: I was *that* person at the grocery store

Yesterday, I'm ashamed to confess, I was *that* person at the grocery store.  We had a busy morning, and I didn't get to the grocery store until it was almost dinner time.. blame hunger, blame fatigue, blame whatever - I became my two biggest grocery store pet peeves (*hangs head in shame*).  

Pet Peeve #1:  "Eh, I'll just leave that here."

A little backstory - my first job ever was working at a small natural food grocery store.  It always drove me nuts when people changed their minds about an item and left it randomly on another shelf.  C'mon people - a grocery store isn't 3 miles long, it's not that hard to put it back where you found it if you changed your mind.  The absolute worst is when people would leave perishables randomly in aisles - you really thought the cereal aisle was the best place to leave your gallon of ice cream?  Yuck!
Well, I was almost done with my shopping and both me and the little one were tired and hungry and done.. I happened to look down in my cart and had some second thoughts about some crockpot mixes I had put in but I didn't want to walk all the way back to other side of the store.. so "Eh, I'll just leave these here.." happened.  

Pet Peeve #2:  "What part of 14 Items or Less don't you understand?"

Then it was time to check out.  It was after work so the lines were long, I scanned down the row of registers and saw one that was just as long but the last person had hardly anything in their cart so I jumped in that line.  I stood there daydreaming, reading headlines on the gossip magazines in the racks, totally oblivious.  I was more than halfway done unloading our very full cart (with a little one strapped to my chest in the Ergo, no less) when I looked up and saw "14 Items or Less" lit up on the register sign.  Oh no... 
I asked the cashier sheepishly if that had really said "14 Items or Less" the whole time.. he was polite but I'm pretty sure he thought I was trying to pull some kind of Mom Card and break the rules.  I honestly felt awful.. so embarrassed and everyone was giving me dirty looks - especially those that really did have just a few items who got in line behind me.  

I always said I'd never be *that* person at the grocery store, but I guess some days you are whether you meant to be or not..

New Years Sale Extended!

I've decided to extend my big New Years Sale through this Friday, January 16th!  Please check out my shop and take advantage of the sale before I bring in new items for the New Year.  

Don't forget, once the jewelry listings expire I won't be renewing them so get them while you can!  ;)  

Coupon Code Expires 01/16/15

New Years Sale!

Over the next few months I'll be transitioning my shop from a bit of everything to focusing more on home and wedding decor. And so, first order of business is cleaning house: I'm offering 20% off everything through January 10th. If there's a piece of jewelry you were eyeing now would be the time to get it, because once it's gone it's gone for good 😉 

So excited to bring in lots of new products this year!

*Note: I just had someone contact me, worried that I was discontinuing the snowflake ornaments and garland - don't worry folks, I will not be discontinuing them!  Though I am planning to only carry them seasonally in the future (or anytime of year by special request!)

Small Business Feature at Bumble & Co.

Honored to have been interviewed by Charlotte of Bumble&Co. for her first Small Business Feature of the year! 

Be sure to check out the full interview and the rest of Charlotte's beautiful blog!

Reflections and Resolutions (Happy New Year!)

Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe New Years!  With a little one now I spent my evening like I do most.. putting her to bed, working on Birch Landing things, then curling up on the couch to watch some TV with the hubby.  
Pretty wild and crazy, huh?  I wouldn't have it any other way.  

Reflections

This has been a pretty big year for me, for us:  Becoming a new mom with ten million new things to learn (and am still learning), getting into the groove of staying home full-time with our little one, starting this little Etsy business, and getting a photo of our ornaments into Martha Stewart Living, to name just a few of the amazing things that happened this year.  We're very blessed and I am so very thankful.  

Resolutions

What's New Years without some personal resolutions?
1.  I'd love to get back into running.  I ran pretty regularly until I was 8 months pregnant, stopped, and then never really got back into it but it's about time I do.
2.  Ruthlessly cleaning out and reorganizing the basement and closets is also a priority.  We have too much stuff (and I have wayyy too many clothes), it's time to lighten that load.  
3.  And of course I'd love to grow this little business as much as I can - I have lots of ideas for wedding decorations, decor, and accessories all in a rustic theme.  I'm planning on phasing out some items in my shop over the next few months to transition Birch Landing Home into its new identity.  You can expect our Etsy shop to officially find its niche in 2015.

I want to thank you all for giving me a great start in 2014 and I'm looking forward to making 2015 even more successful!  

Cheers!

Get more bang for your buck from your make-up remover!

Okay, this is a pretty silly little trick but I've been doing it for years... the best way to get twice as much out of your facial cleansing pads..?  Cut them in half!  

| Aveeno Cleansing Pads |

I don't wear a lot of make-up and these Aveeno Pads are super-soapy, half a circle is more than enough to remove my make-up and wash my face.  Whenever I get a new jar, I just cut them all in half with scissors and put them back in the jar ready to go.  It only takes a few minutes and by doing this simple little thing I get two months worth of product for the price of one!