My loves go back to school on Monday! I cant even handle it! The thought that I will have a 3rd grader and a first grader is just too much excitement! I am actually looking forward to washing their uniforms!Every year during the summer we like to have a project that will prepare us for the up coming school year. I like to think it gets my kids excited for school studies as well as understand that school is very much important! Two years ago we created a backpack wall.

2014 Backpack Wall

I was tired of spending my mornings looking for backpacks, lunch boxes and homework folders, not to mention all the tripping hazards around the house. Creating a backpack wall was the first thing to happen for our summer 2014 July project. The boys and I found the prefect spot in our home, right by the front door. We took measurements and drew up plans that we all wanted to incorporate. I am so happy with what we came up with! I always get compliments from my clients coming into our home and it always makes me smile!!! I went down to Homedepot and had the nice service guy cut my wood for me based off of my plans, and with a few dollars in supplies this saving grace was created! I can NOT express to you the importance of organization! And we totally nailed it with this one! Connor my eldest helped me paint and Donovan handed me the tools I needed.

Last year, July 2015, we created our Gallery wall with pictures of artwork that the kids will do daily. I change out the drawings and paintings every other week or until the next big thing has been born. The ones that are framed in glass are my favorites! I love to advertise my littles’ work, I feel like it makes them know how important their creativity is and that we are all artist! I created the sign above to remind me of the ‘big things’ in life.

2015 Gallery

However, this year was our first real big build! Daddy got a promotion and was going to be working from home a little bit more then normal and we all needed a special place for homework and office detail. Before, we would be scrambling to move our books, papers and bills from the kitchen table so we can make room for dinner plates. Complete chaos!! I absolutely hated the feeling of disorganization and clutter- moving one pile to another, losing paperwork, missing important details. ‘Time for change’ I said!!! And what better time then a summer project! So July 2016 we turned our playroom into a study work room! The boys went through their toys and made piles. Donation, trash and keep. Even my youngest, Emmett 2.5 years old, was excited to donate toys he had forgotten about or trashed the ones he played a little to hard with. My men went through their belongings, by the grace of God, I was surprised it wasn’t hard for them! Now their rooms housed their important things! After the room was completely cleared out we went straight to painting! The boys and I picked out the color Reposed Grey from Sherwin-Williams. This grey is so calming yet handsome! I had an idea that I wanted to create for our space. I found four black filings cabinets on a garage sale site for $40 bucks each. I felt that was pretty darn good- especially when they are originally $130 and up – brand new from Office Max. These came from an office close out, so they were in great shape still!

I then went to homedepot and bought my wood. I wanted to do a rustic industrial look for our space. I cut my pieces to my measurements and wanted the corner area to be a Herringbone pattern. It took me a bit- but once I had my mind set with silence (sorry boys you need to leave the room for this process) it was easy! After I cut my pieces, I stained and sealed them. Then I installed.

I built two cork board frames for the boys to pin their important notes and reminders on.

I am still in the process of creating shelves for our space. Like I said before- I have a vision for this space, and what I want to do with the shelves is use rustic piping! I am in the process of learning how to bend pipe and installing it to the walls. I cant wait to share with you what it looks like once its all completed. But for now- check out some of our work!