There is something about beginning life again in a new home full of new walls, corners, and little crannies that begs for fresh ideas you've always wanted to try, but haven't had the excuse to.

You've always heard that paint is the easiest and cheapest way to change up a room, I would add wall hangings to first runner up.

I've been gathering interesting frames for the last month. Some new, some repurposed. By repurposed I mean like taking out Caroline's first year photo with me and replacing it with new life, life now: her incredible soft/oil pastel piece which depicts her own species of flowers including pinkies, orangies, and blueblees. (see above)

I've always hung my childrens' artwork in the typical places like the fridge or on a bulletin board. Now I'm doing what I've always wanted to do: framing their art and placing it with the other things that I value in my living space, like the envied space on the mantel, for example. Framed behind glass for all to see and admire, including that particular artist.

A floating frame is an all around great frame for changing out their art through the seasons of their creating, like Johanna's first use of real paints. That's a green and yellow sun up there in that corner of her artwork, in case you were wondering.

Besides framing artwork, there are lots of recent photos I'm planning to develop, to change up what we look at day in and out. I love the past, the photos from the past, but life keeps moving. I want myself and my children to stay connected to life most recently lived as it keeps the memories real and close, close enough to still encourage conversation about the image and its life. And I'm tiring of the constant black and white trend everywhere. Bring on the super saturated photos of kids playing and intimately close portrait shots where you can see deep into your child's eyes.

A small change: Take down a framed photo you've had up for ions and do something risky-- change out the photo to something fresh, recent, artsy, something that triggers happy emotions. Then hang it up again, step back, and let the photo inspire you a bit more in your daily life as you pass by it over and over again.