new letter boards...

well, with a little help from my beloved handyman gregg, we have a new look in our hallway.  

(gregg can measure and hang way better than i can!)
remember i told you that i love the number 5 and had a new project in my brain?  well, it got done sooner than i expected.  

down came the old quilt that hung on the wooden rod for the last twelve years, and up came some linen wrapped bulletin boards.  you like?

i apologize for the bad forthcoming photos, but given that this hallway is upstairs and quite narrow, it's tough to get a good angle and a good photo.

i found these great metal letters at hootnannyhome.com and ordered them in my family's initials.  ed and i represent the capitals, jake and rachel are the lowercase.  and, of course, God represents the number 5.  

four of us plus Him equals 5.

i thought about taking the rod down, but loved the dimension it added.  i went to the do-it center and found a package of black nail heads for $2.99 and used them to hang the letters.  the letters already come distressed as if they were found on the side of an old building.  and i already had a huge roll of the black grossgrain ribbon.  i love that it's wide enough and substantial enough to see when you walk in our front door (and look up).

and remember i said i love gregg? 

he figured out how to get this frame to hang still while tied with a 

ribbon onto the rod.  

his secret?

he used a piece of cardboard box and cut a little tent out of it and hot glued it to the back of the middle of the frame so it rested perfectly between the frame and wall.  

genius!

i found this bench at a local antiques store.  it was $50 and red.  it sat behind our downstairs couch and i loved it.  but things don't stay in one place very long around here.  so i painted it white and placed it in our hallway. 

 it fits like a glove.  i don't think i'll ever move it. 

and twigs just had to get in the photo.  i bought her a new pink and rhinestone collar yesterday.  i think she was trying to show it off.

the top of the bench holds baskets of books.  the old tool caddy belonged to my girlfriend's dad.  i love that she gave it to me.  i think of him every time i see it.

and my favorite little vignette up here are the two silver frames with jake and rachel's silhouettes in them.  jake's kindergarten teacher made these for all the moms for mother's day.  i asked him to make another one for me of rachel. 

 i adore them.   

i love our new letter boards for three reasons:

1.  it reinforces to my kids that family is so very important. 

every time they walk down the hallway.

2.  it's a great conversation piece. 

 i'm sure many will see our four initials and the number five

 and say, "what gives?"

3.  and after someone says, "what gives?"

 it's a great way to share 

that God is at the heart of our family.

have any metal initials lying around? 

 if so, celebrate your family and God 

somewhere in your home 

for all to see.