A Simple Project

We're in the middle of a small master bedroom rearrange/fix-up, and yesterday morning I wanted to add something to our gallery wall.  The left side is pretty well filled out, but the right half has been rather anemic-looking for several weeks now.   Rather than just have a large collection of photographs in black frames, I wanted to add some different elements in as well.  Somewhere in the depths of Pinterest I found a really cute idea that I never bothered to pin.  You simply take important dates from the history of your family, put them down on paper, and frame them.  I decided to embroider mine on fabric.  This is easily adaptable to multiple mediums (cross stitch, paint, print, marker, you get the idea), so it's the perfect customizable project.  

I made my way to the Free Frame Box and pulled out a rectangular frame.  After pulling the backing and glass out, I took it outside to spray paint.

Back inside, I used the frame glass as my guide and cut my white fabric to size.  I actually doubled my fabric before cutting because I was using thin broad cloth, and I didn't want the thread on the back of the fabric to show through.

Using a pencil, I lightly traced our dates:  Mr. Chadwick's birthday, my birthday, our anniversary, and Little Man's birthday.

The embroidery went pretty quickly once I chose my colors.  I based them on the watch box I got on my NYC trip last year.  I was pretty stoked when I completed my stitching, but when I got my newly painted frame and put the piece in it, I noticed I had painted the back side of the frame thinking it was the front.  Oops...  Back outside it went so I could paint the correct side.

*Disclaimer:  This is in NO WAY an announcement!  There is absolutely nothing to announce here!

If you'll notice, I left a space open at the bottom in case one day I might need to add another birthday.  Better safe than sorry have to explain to a "youngest child" why their birthday didn't get included in our list of important dates.

And, actually, after I put it on the wall, I realized that I really didn't like the embroidery.  I think I may try one of those "other mediums" I mentioned at the beginning of the post to make it look more modern.  Which do you think I should use?

Also note, I did not show you a complete picture of the wall because we are indeed currently making some changes in here, and I want them to be complete before I reveal them to you.  At some point there will be a hacksaw involved.  That may take a while.  Please don't hold your breath.  Your doctor won't thank me.

I also scored a sweet deal on a piece of furniture Mr. Chadwick found on the side of the road.  It needs a good bit of work, so if I'm absent here tomorrow it's because I'm busy refinishing this secret piece.  I can't wait to share it with you all!!