The other day I was standing in my kitchen and looked over at this blank wall and I instantly knew what I wanted to hang on it. Why not create a Gallery Wall with these pictures that have been sitting in a closet since we moved.
At my old house I really didn’t like where I had hung the pictures. They sat unappreciated on an over-scale wall in the master bedroom. I didn’t want to toss the pictures because they aren’t prints or photos.
They are embroidered. Yep, I embroidered them onto watercolor paper. It’s kind of a strange thing to do ~ but sometimes that’s how I roll. It took me hours and hours of machine embroidery to make them. Hours of work + black & white beauty = I’m keeping them.
About 3 years ago I bought this embroidery design set from OESD because I loved everything about it. I love birds and I may have mentioned something about decorating with black and white. {This isn’t an overnight obsession ~ it’s been brewing for some time.}
The embroidery designs are digitized from pen and ink drawings. They are exquisitely detailed depictions of birds and plants. You can purchase the set from OESD for $79. I also found them on Amazon for $39 (affiliate) but there are only two left.
Back to my blank wall. So when I looked up and saw the blank wall I immediately knew that my collection of embroidered birds would be perfect.
Well just because I think something will work doesn’t make it true. Mr. SH taped off an area on the kitchen floor about the same size as the blank wall space and we placed the pictures within the space.
Because the pictures are on a stair wall we decided to add a little double-sided tape ~ just in case. We put a piece of tape on all four sides. So far, so good.
Once we determined the picture placement it was just a matter of putting nails in our brand new walls. Because the owl is the largest picture {and took forever to embroider} we placed it in the largest part of the gallery. From there we just added in the pictures until the space was filled.
We added the last picture on the top left and the {former} blank wall space was filled.
Birds and some black & white ~ it’s all good.
I do have a favorite bird ~ can you guess which one it is. Here’s a hint: it isn’t the owl.
Judi says
March 31, 2014 at 4:24 amThe hummingbird? The pictures look nice!
Leslie says
March 31, 2014 at 7:24 amNot the hummingbird, but nice try 🙂
Ashley @ 3 Little Greenwoods says
March 31, 2014 at 7:16 amI’ve got the same wall in my foyer and it need some picture love bad! What a smart idea to use the triangle shape to decide how to place the pictures! So smart!
Leslie says
March 31, 2014 at 7:24 amThanks, like I said, I saw the space and remembered my birds. I knew they would all fit perfectly right there.
Gloria @ glutenfreepoodlehome says
March 31, 2014 at 8:20 amI love those pictures and the cute arrangement! Most people would have just spread them out in a row. You love the cardinal.
Leslie says
March 31, 2014 at 8:37 amDing, ding, ding. You guessed it! The cardinal is my favorite. I love the look on its cute little face. Makes me smile every time.
Cheryl Artzzle says
March 31, 2014 at 11:22 amGloria and Leslie:
Hi to two of my favorite bloggers. This grouping is wonderful. Although I don’t know how you chose the right bird, Gloria . . . they are all so pretty. With the patience of a saint, Leslie, I should have known you could do detailed work like this as well!
Ree says
March 31, 2014 at 10:57 amI’m guessing the bluejay in all it’s forms. I love owls. Nice pictures.
Lisa says
March 31, 2014 at 11:29 amWhat a great idea! I am new to embroidery. Just traded in a barely used Viking Topaz for a Viking Designer. All I want to do is embroider! I have a 95 year old grandmother that loves humingbirds. I bought several humingbird patterns from Embroidery Library. Going to make one today and frame it and get it in the mail today!
thanks Leslie.
Kathy Qendro says
March 31, 2014 at 12:17 pmI Love Birds also…… and the Cardinal and the Owl are my favorites! You are a very talented Lady, with exceptional ideas. The pictures look great and hung beautifully.
I want to wish you much Health and Happiness in your new home.
Best wishes, Kathy
kathy says
March 31, 2014 at 12:36 pmThe oriole? Mine is the blue bird. Love your work.
Patricia Routt says
March 31, 2014 at 6:57 pmI just knew it was the Cardinal! Wow you really put a lot of work into those gorgeous birds, and they look wonderful on the wall, I love the way you placed them.
Kelly says
April 1, 2014 at 10:35 pmWhat a pretty gallery! I love that the images are embroidered instead of prints, and that you are displaying them!
Emily @ My Love for Words says
April 2, 2014 at 8:29 amBeautiful arrangement! Taping off the space on the floor is a great idea.
Erlene says
April 2, 2014 at 8:31 amLove the idea of taping off the wall section on the floor. Will have to use this idea of the large area above the stairs.
Carrie This Home says
April 2, 2014 at 9:12 amBeautiful gallery wall! I love that you used the biggest picture in the right hand corner–it really adds some great visual interest! Pinning this!
Rita C. (Panoply) says
April 2, 2014 at 2:51 pmVisiting from Inspiration Exchange – your gallery wall caught my eye to want to visit. How beautiful! I love birds, and I would have guessed the cardinal, hummer or robin – in that order, and I see your answer is the cardinal (my West Virginia home’s state bird {smile}). Gorgeous work, I can only imagine the hours you spent on those. I’ll bet you now stand in your kitchen and smile, don’t you? And does it make you want to go back to embroider more birds to fill that wall even more? 🙂
Rita C at Panoply
Sami says
April 2, 2014 at 8:35 pmYou are so creative, this looks great! Good idea creating it on the floor first!
Thanks for a lovely idea.
Ashley @ Cherished Bliss says
April 3, 2014 at 8:52 amBeautiful!! I love how it turned out! Thanks for sharing at moonlight and mason jars!
[email protected] says
April 4, 2014 at 2:29 pmI love those birds! And black and white together are always so chic!
JaneEllen says
April 5, 2014 at 12:03 amIf you go on Martha Stewart, she had outlines for state birds few years ago, imagine they’re in her archives for embroidery or crafting? I printed them all out but never used them. It was suggested to embroider in red. Can do whatever you wanted. Could use markers to fill in different colors, leave to your imagination. Love projects like that to give my own take on them.
Your gallery wall is wonderful, the black and white birds are incredible, what alot of tedious work. I usually find easier ways to do things as my hands and eyes don’t always work well together, if I can’t do it I’ll give up on whole deal. Happy Spring.
Carylee says
April 5, 2014 at 2:48 pmThis is gorgeous! I have a blank wall that I’ve been really wanting to do something similar to! Thanks for the encouragement!
Antionette Blake says
April 5, 2014 at 5:17 pmVery creative, you did a fantastic job and thank you for sharing it with us at the #WWDParty.
[email protected] says
April 5, 2014 at 9:06 pmLeslie
I love this tutorial. I would love for you to link this up to Friday Favorites going on right now! I love the 90 degree angled tape on the floor. Brilliant! laura
Aysh says
April 6, 2014 at 2:32 pmThis looks so perfect. I love how you chose those birds. Thanks for the inspiration.
Robin~All Things Heart and Home says
April 6, 2014 at 7:12 pmThat’s perfect for the wall! I love seeing your process too! Thanks so much for linking up at Twirl & Take a Bow!
Shannon [Our Home Notebook] says
April 7, 2014 at 8:30 pmWhat a beautiful gallery wall. I love the birds!
April Hoff says
April 16, 2014 at 5:18 pmSuch a pretty gallery! It looks perfect on your wall!
Mary Ann Einarson says
October 23, 2014 at 8:55 amI’d love to see a detailed photo of your pieces – such a cool idea!