Heritage Shelf

I was recently inspired by a very cool photo décor project by Ali Edwards (found here), so when I came across a little wooden knick-knack shelf at Goodwill for only $2, I thought I'd try my own version.  I'll admit, Ali's is MUCH cooler, but this was a good first try for me.

1. First, I disassembled the shelf and removed the wallpaper. 
   
   
2. Next, I spray-painted the outside red and the inner shelves black, and backed it with kraft paper. 
   
   
3. Once the paint was dry, I sanded all of the edges to allow the white paint to show through and to give it a more worn look. 
   
   
   
   
4. Then, I ordered several 5" x 7" black-and-white family photographs to put inside the nine cubes. 
   
   I had a hard time choosing what photos to put in there, and finally decided that not everything has to be symmetrical and even! I ended up with several family baby photos and wedding photos.
   
   

Now the shelf sits in my kitchen and is a wonderful alternative to framed photos for displaying our family heritage!