How to Make a Kids Art Wall

It's about time that I shut up about my Etsy site and give you guys a good tutorial, am I right?!

I've told you about my drab hallway makeover into a kid's art wall. I finished this project as a surprise to my husband (partly to prove it to myself that I could keep a secret for a whole weekend and partly because I was a little afraid of what he would think about the giant pink frame hanging outside his bedroom...yikes!)

Well, I did it, I finished just in the nick of time and kept the secret from him the whole weekend. He was thrilled with it and my kids love seeing their artwork so proudly displayed.

Owen paid me the best compliment, "Mommy, you're so creative!" Sheesh, I'll hold on to that one for a while!
Even the thermostat got a little love!

Baaah!

Wanna make your own? Here's what you'll need:

• Frames
• Fine Grit Sandpaper
• Primer (I use the Bullseye primer in a spray can)
• Paint
• Brush
• Fabric
• Twine
• Clothes Pins
• Gorilla Glue
• Bulldog Magnetic Clips (the kind with the large magnet and clip attached under it)

My paint color scheme was inspired by my lunch the day before... carrot juice and strawberry smoothie (yum!)

First, lay out each of your frames in the pattern that you will hang them on the wall. This doesn't have to be perfect, but it will give you an idea of which frames to paint which color and fill with which fabric. (I made myself a quick sketch of the plan and referred back to this picture a bunch when it came time to paint.)

Are you guys as in love with Pandora as I am?! What's your favorite station? I also love listening to CraftyPod podcasts while I work... it makes me feel smarter! :) I only look mad, I'm actually having fun, I promise!

So after your frames have been lightly sanded and wiped clean, spray one coat of primer and get to town painting. I had to do two coats of paint per frame because of my crazy bright colors.

Next remove the back of the frame and pull out the matting that's in there. Chances are that the matting will be white on one side and colored on the other. That will be important in a second, hang with me.

Trace the matting on to the wrong side of your fabric and cut your fabric to fit.

Then spray the white side of the matting (so that the ugly beige picture that no one wanted from Goodwill will not be seen through your cute striped fabric) with spray adhesive. Place your fabric on top. I used photo mount because it won't yellow over time.Stick the newly covered matting back in the frame with the glass and you're done.

Now you have some choices to make, so refer back to the big master plan of the layout you liked and decide if you want this frame to have a bulldog clip mounted to the glass (with gorilla glue) or some twine (wrapped around the frame and attached to the back with gorilla glue) and clothes pins to show off your little one's art work.