Uh-Oh! My Creative Bone is on the Loose!

It's been a while since I've done a decorating project. Well, Easter really doesn't count, because I don't have much choice in what I put up. I don't have very many Easter decorations. Anyway, there is this wall in my living room that has been driving me insane! It was just sort of blah. There were three things that I put up there, but they weren't quite enough to make me happy. So, I've been thinking about how to spice it up for a while now. I went to a few stores to get ideas, fully intending on buying something, but nothing really had that wow factor for me. Luckily I was at JoAnn's, the fabric and craft store, so it got my creative juices flowing. And let me tell you, when my creative juices flow, there's no stopping them until that little idea in my head that keeps nagging at me gets satisfied. So, I came home, and looked for some crafty things. I had a few ideas to keep in mind. But I decided on one that I think is very unique, crafty, and super easy!

My blah wall.

My first idea was to put up some small picture frames (I have these super cute antique-looking white ones that I got to decorate my wedding reception) and put "live" in one, "laugh" in another, and "love" in a third one. I'd have to attach some ribbon to hang them up because the frames are designed just for standing on a table. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go that permanent, so I nixed that idea. Plus, I have tons of picture frames in my living room anyway. And, I have tons of word plaques. So, all in all, a good idea gone too far.

Super cute antique-looking frame. (It's not really an antique. It just looks like it.)

My second idea, and the one I decided on was to get some fabric (I have this sparkly red fabric that I got at Tai Pan Trading a year and a half ago to embellish my curtains, which I'm not using any more) and sort of frame what was already on my wall, giving it texture and shape, which is much more aesthetically pleasing. It took a little feminine touch to get it to look right, but I think it looks ten times better!

The fabric is up, but it still doesn't look right. Splayed edges are yucky!

So, as you can see, the bottom of the fabric liked to splay. I was not going for that, so I came up with a simple solution . . . Ribbon!!! I LOVE ribbons and bows! I'm so excited that I got to use it in my decorating! I've got a little ribbon bag in my craft corner, filled with ribbon (Michaels has good sales on ribbon sometimes in their $1 bins.) I chose a thick white floral ribbon. Let me tell you a little secret about ribbon that I learned in ballet: to prevent fraying, put the end of the ribbon very close to a flame, using a lighter. It will melt the ribbon ends, sealing them off. Make sure you're extremely careful. You don't want the ribbon to catch on fire.

Finished product. No more splayed edges and much more interesting!

Yay! I love when things work out for me! Sometimes my head has grandiose ideas that don't always work, but this did! Woohoo!