Display wall for Photos, Cards, and Art

One thing my house has been lacking is an attractive way to display cards, children's artwork, and photos of friends and family.   All those school pictures, wedding invitations, and colorful drawings that usually clutter up the fridge clustered together under one magnet.  Don't get me wrong, I love each item that has been gifted to me, I am just not a fan of the overall appearance in my otherwise clutter free kitchen.  We already have the gallery wall in the children's play room which the artwork will graduate to eventually, but I needed a place for the everyday, and cards from birthdays, etc. A special note for me from my daughter on her very first day of kindergarten spurred me to finally find a solution to this problem.

This is the hallway that leads from the garage into the heart of our home.  As this is the entrance we use every day it seemed like a good location for these little reminders of those we love and special events.

First, using a level I drew 3 sections on the wall for the placement of my wood scraps.

I selected 8 pieces of walnut from my pile of off-cuts from my dad's woodworking shop.  These 8 pieces were all 2 1/2" wide, by 13" long and 3/8" thick.  Then I sanded with 220 grit sandpaper and sprayed with crystal clear varathane that I had on hand.

I decided to add a monogram to the wall by adding a 'M' for visual interest.

It was sprayed with Rustoleum's Metallic Finish in silver for the combination of wood and shine that I am such a fan of.

I used a hot glue gun to adhere my wood strips to the wall once they were dried.  The hot glue was used because it has a denseness that leaves a small cavity between that wood piece and wall to allow the pictures and cards to slide in between with ease.  A straight line along the top of each piece of wood left me with a nice slim ledge for the photos to rest on.

Here it is before it has been loaded up.

I am actually quite fond of the look without the pictures added so if there is ever a time where there is nothing to display, the little shelves will act as art all on their own.

And even loaded up, we have a nice tidy display that is convenient, and easy to rearrange as new pieces are added or outdated ones taken away.

Here is the artwork that prompted this display wall.  A note brought home on the first day of kindergarten inspired by the book "The Kissing Hand".  A must read for anyone with children in school!

The slim profile of this display leaves maximum space in the hallway and no bump hazard for shoulders, or heads of little people running though to welcome daddy home at the end of the day.

How do you display photos, birthday cards, and children's artwork?

Linking to: Under $100 Link Party, Transformation Thursday, Remodelaholic, frugalicious-friday, Design Dazzle, Show and Share Day, Flaunt it Friday, Simply Creations, Scrappy Saturdays, Weekend Wrap Up