Jeepers Creepers ...where'd we get these peepers?

As many of you know we are a family of 4....
and well....all FOUR of us wear glasses. 
The kids go every year for a new pair but some of their older glasses could still be worn in a pinch...or you know in case they ever decided to play a game where one of them would climb a tree and sit on a branch and tell their Sister  ahem...I mean the other one to pull the branch back really hard to see if he  ahem...the other one could stay on it while she the other one let the branch go....not that this has ever happened here....nope...not once...and certainly nobody's brand new week old glasses were majorly scratched in this process of really bad game ideas...but you know in case it DID ever happen....well...we just need to keep the old glasses.
Anyway...I digress.
Problem #1 Our bathroom drawers were being overrun by glasses cases.
Problem #2 Nasty wall in the hall that runs between bathroom and kids rooms. believe me it is on our list of things to do but for this post please just pretend that it is covered in sheetrock and a nice coat of gray paint ok?
A few months back we added a bookshelf to the hall to house the kids ever-growing collection of chapter books....BUT you could still see way too much of the ugly wall for my liking.

The Solution- We've had this old 7-UP crate downstairs for quite sometime. A few weeks ago I had a light bulb moment and brought it up to house all of our cases:) It quite honestly could be put into the same "needs a coat of paint" category as the ugly wall but I can't stand the thought of altering something vintage and losing those old worn in rings on the inside.
Other than the grungey look....it worked perfectly and so began the idea about using that little space above the bookshelf as a home for our ever-growing collection of glasses and cases:)   


We had originally planned to collect pieces of art with people wearing glasses...and honestly still might do that over time but I am lucky enough to have two little artists living here and they offered up a couple of self-portraits straightaway.
My little Miss M's portrait:

I love it so much! Of course it needed a frame as cool as my girlie....
I found this one at a yard sale (awhileback) for 50 cents and sprayed it bright red for a fun look.
My other little artist came up with this little masterpiece:) 

which of course I also adore!
Next we added the eye chart. I've seen several "eye chart" prints on Etsy and loved them....but being that I wanted instant gratification I decided to make my own. I am pretty happy with the results and the kids liked it too. Not sure you can read it here but the highlighted letters in each row say E + M we love you.
After searching in our basement a bit more we found the vase.   
You see....pun totally intended....our sunglasses were also in desparate need of a home....so for now this will work:)
 
I am pretty happy with the way it turned out....
although it is still a bit of a work in progress:)  
I love that there is a whole lot less of the UGLY wall peeking through...
and the obsessive side of me loves that everything related to our eyes
has found a new little home and....
the best part about this whole project?
Well....surely you know that saying about hindsight being  20/20...
I'm definately experiencing that "why didn't I think of this 5 years ago" feeling.
I love little projects like that:)

Comments

[Gina]

Oh my goodness Melonie, you could not be more clever with this whole project! I love it. I would never paint that vintage 7up crate & to use it for the glasses is pure genius. Love the kids' artwork, love the eye chart...super, super job!

[Julie Tucker-Wolek]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh how CLEVER! I loveeeeeeeeeeee how you housed the cases and love love love their self portraits!! GORGEOUS work... they are creative like Mama! :):):):):):):):):):):)

[Rita Barakat]

I love the self portraits!!! What a cute idea, you are cracking me up with this post!

[Keshet]

Such a good idea! We are a glasses family too--doesnt bode well for bunny:) The self portraits are too adorable!