Nadine McCrea

What to do with a blankety-blank-blank wall? Fill it up, of course!
Here is the before picture - a huge void in the breakfast area of my kitchen. First a view to the stairs, and secondly, a view to the window.

Luckily (for you), I have spared you the horror of what the original wall looked like when we moved in. Let's just say I can sum it up in in two words: dusty rose. Shudder. We painted it in Benjamin Moore OC-96 Gentle Cream in one-coat Aura paint. It took 2 coats to cover - but I do NOT hold that against Aura. Really, when was the last time someone painted a wall in dusty rose? Twenty years? At least!

But I digress.

I felt the wall could hold three large pieces of art. But, I didn't have a piece of art large enough to "hold" the wall. (Think mural size!) I DID have a large print, already framed that was left behind in my sister's former house. She didn't like it. I did. It's been with me ever since. Heh heh heh. Evil laugh.
Here is a shot of that print.

Lots of watery greens and blues. Very tranquil.

I had also collected many postcard-sized prints over the years. There was a distinctly "blue" theme that connected them. Funny how that can happen. So I decided to treat the six prints as one large piece of art. I found six identical frames (including mats) for $2 each at Walmart. I love that! Here is the arrangement on the ground. I fooled around with it til I got a pleasing layout.


Just love the cords and the vacuum cleaner hose in the picture. That's because I'm going to be cleaning right after this. I really am.

So I started putting holes, I mean nails, in the wall. (psst, don't tell Jack)!




And here they are (FINALLY) on the wall:

Credits: (Top Left) Print by Group of Seven painter Lawren Harris, (Top Right) Print of The Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego where we visited in June by Gurven, (Middle Left and Lower Right) Prints of Kenora, Ontario by Marya Zajac, (Middle Right) Print of Dacotah, Manitoba elevator by Nichelle Desilets and (Bottom Left) Print of Saskatchewan sky by H.K. Ripplinger.

And now for the right side of my anchor piece, I chose 2 pieces, also with special personal meaning.


The top photo was taken by my husband at my parents' cottage on Storm Bay in Ontario. It was a beautiful sunrise. The bottom photo is a very old aerial view of the farm in Saskatchewan where my dad grew up.

So, here is the finished wall.


A beautiful view for my morning coffee and bagel.

And the cost for my own personal art gallery?

(Left) 6 postcard prints, all $5 of less = $30
Frames with mats, 6 x $2= $12
(Middle) Large anchor piece = Free!
(Right) Framed photos - Gifts (also Free!)

The total is $42! The enjoyment, however, is priceless.



Nadine