The gallery wall I mentioned in this post about painting old picture frames is, unfortunately, still in a state of flux. That’s because:
- I really want to make this gallery wall special and personal to our family history.
- An empty wall to fill is a daunting task when you have more than one idea.
- The weather’s been so beautiful I want to spend as much time outside as possible before winter weather hits us. Three acres and four maple trees mean we’re in up to our eyeballs in mowing, raking, and picking up tree branches in our yard.
My Vision for Our Gallery Wall
After mulling over a lot of options, I decided I did not want our gallery wall to be one of those with matching picture frames and the same type of photo treatment in each. Although that looks beautiful and polished in many homes, our farmhouse is over 120 years old. I prefer instead to have our gallery wall reflect a collected and cherished vibe that has a lot of personalities. When people visit our home, I want them to quickly realize the level of importance we put on family, history, and tradition. Right now, I’m in that gathering and inventory stage, making decisions on what to display.
This has been a long work in progress. I don’t want our gallery wall to only feature photos. I’m considering the addition of a shelf or ledge to showcase memorabilia, along with some art pieces. But I also don’t want anything on the wall that’s too clunky. Decisions, decisions. I have this crazy hunch that when I’m done with this gallery wall, it will feel like a major accomplishment!
Display Ideas
Do you ever wonder about the backstory of how things you’ve inherited were passed down? Why or how some things end up in your hands, or why you were the person they were handed to? Was it intentional or were you just in a place and time that was right for the handoff? For example, my dad gave me a bunch of old fabric handkerchiefs my mom had kept. I asked him whose they originally were and he didn’t know. One of them has an embroidered E on it, so I know it was my grandmother, Eva’s. The others were important to my mom for some reason or another so it makes me sad to not know who they belonged to and why they were significant. At least one of those old hankies will somehow be a part of the wall.
Stories Behind Mementos
My dad gave my brother his dad’s old stopwatch. My dad is the youngest of ten kids. Why did my dad get the watch? After his dad passed away, did my dad get the watch as things were divided among the family, or did his dad give it to my dad for a specific reason? I find I love the stories behind the mementos we decide to keep, whether random or intentional.
I have quite a few other things my dad or mom gave me, some of which are quite personal. My sisters have others, some I’m sure I don’t even know about. I have old prayer books, ancestral photos, and other keepsakes that I am looking forward to highlighting in a unique way. They need a dwelling place that’s not a dresser drawer! Every time I see those Ancestry ads, I think about getting the details on my family tree. I know the basics, but I’d like to take a deeper dive.
I’ve promised myself that the next rainy weekend (if that ever comes) will be spent finishing up this gallery wall, so stay tuned. The reveal won’t be too far behind! In the meantime, what mementos do you have that are meaningful to you, even if they’re not expensive?
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