Personalized Family Sign...Beginning of Gallery Wall

I have been in awe of all of the beautiful gallery walls on Pinterest and blogland.  Everyone is SO CREATIVE in presentation and each gallery wall is SO UNIQUE to each individual family.  I have been inspired to create my own as well. This is the beginnings of our gallery wall as you enter our home:

The book page wreath might look familiar if you are one of my regular followers.  When I created it, I created it with the goal of integrating it in the gallery wall.  If you aren't one of my regular followers, and you wish to read about my book page wreath, you can read about it here.

I love to integrate positive messages and scripture throughout my home...that has clearly been evidenced by some of my projects that I've featured and posted here on my blog.  My gallery wall is no different.  I'm crazy about my vinyl saying (this was the ONLY thing I had on this wall for a while, but it felt "so very lonely"). I was also pleased when I was able to purchase my "Love, Faith and Hope" plaques.  

I'm the bargain shopper...you know I'm always looking for those deals, right?  While I love everything up here...all was either made by me or purchased at yard sale, second hand, etc.  That is the name of the game around here!

One of my favorite pieces in the gallery wall is a sign that I made of our name and the year that we were married "established" (with some finishing touches by my husband, best teammate ever). 

I'll give you a short run down on how I made this sign:

1. We purchased a large piece of wood, and then cut it to the length that we needed.  (I used the other piece for a sign for a Christmas present...actually it was shown here).
2. Sand wood to prepare for paint.
3. Paint base coat and let dry. Paint 2 times.
4. Measure center of board.  Tape stencil down with stencil tape.  Begin painting emblem with stencil paint brush.
5. Measure out stenciled letters as well as spaces so that the letters in name are evenly spaced after the emblem is fully dry. Paint and stencil letters utilizing same technique as emblem stencil.  (This process is tricky as you must wait for each to dry, ensure they are evenly spread apart, level, etc.).  I taped a level piece of painters tape along the bottom to keep a straight line as reference.  The letters took a few days as I would wait in between letters for drying.  I'm sure there is a better way...this was just the method that I used on this sign.
6. Repeat the method on the "established" letters and numbers...only choose smaller stencils and numbers
7. Go back and touch up from bleed through of stencils, etc.
8. Hang picture hanger on back to hang.

I was VERY PLEASED with the outcome of the stenciling, and the overall sign, AND I would make many more.  I enjoyed it.  However, it wasn't one of my "quick and easy" projects!  But, it IS one of my projects that I am very proud of, and I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Here is another view of the gallery wall.  Like I said, it is still "in progress".  We are still "adding to", but we don't want to have it "too busy", so we are trying to be very conscientious about what we put up there.  Especially, since it is the big vaulted wall to the right as you enter our home...so what do you think?

Hope you were inspired.  Hope you have a wonderful, blessed week.



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