Craftsman

We live in a century-old bungalow that we have slowly renovated over the past six years to make it our own. We’re already planning the next generation of our open living room/dining room space, so I think it’s safe to say that our renovations will probably never be complete, and that’s a good thing. Lately, we seem to be focused on the little details such as hanging our modest but meaningful art collection that was boxed away for way too long.

Once those pieces were up on the walls, I wanted something equally as beautiful to display our family photos. So for Mother’s Day, my husband made me a shiplap photo display to hang my favorite family and kid photos that too often are stuck in the digital abyss. I love taking photos of my kids and asking my hobby photographer Mom to capture meaningful moments such as our kids as newborns and annual family photos for our Christmas cards, which didn’t happen this past year. But we still have the beautiful photographs! Anyway, back to our photo display. The design was inspired by this Instagram photo display I found on Etsy. Our version uses shiplap leftover from our friends’ home renovation and clips found on Amazon. I printed 5×5 photos on Fox Print using a combination of my Instragram photos and those in our family photostream. I love how it turned out! Every time I pass it, I smile. I also like the symbolism behind having family photos and a cross wall in our entryway—illustrating to all who enter our home and reminding us daily what our priorities are and what really matters.

And because he’s an overachiever, my husband also made me a shelf from leftover kitchen cabinetry to display my “today is a good day for a good day” metal sign that my parents purchased for me at Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas. Magnolia Market is owned by the adorable and talented Chip and Joanna Gaines from HGTV’s Fixer Upper. The saying on my metal sign has special significance these days, as I am recovering from depression. More on that another time. The handmade egg carton flowers were a Mother’s Day gift that Levi made me at preschool. The perfect addition!

At the top of this post, there’s also a photo of a semi-homemade light fixture that my husband made from a latern purchased on clearance at Target. It really elevates the style of the hallway between our kids’ rooms and downstairs bathroom.

I’m thankful to have such a crafty husband! He’s certainly made our home more beautiful.