#houseprojectsgalore

You guys, we’ve been busy. Like, work all day and then come home and work until midnight every night busy.

What started out as a quick little bathroom remodel has turned into a complete, gut the bathroom remodel. And painting/furnishing the extra bedroom that we’ve never used. And redoing the kitchen backsplash. And redoing the kitchen cabinets. And while we’re at it, the cabinets in the other two bathrooms. Oh, and replacing carpet in the living room with hardwood. And updating the fireplace mantle. And painting all the door and window casing (and all the doors) white. In the entire house. And upgrading the crappy orange oak baseboards to nice, new, taller white baseboards. In the entire house.

I think that’s it. God, I hope that’s it.

We are terrible at taking things slowly, so we started all of these projects at once. Our house has been a construction zone basically since mid-January. Nothing is completely finished. There are some things that aren’t even started. (Yep, the bathroom -- the project that started it all -- we’re still in the design stages there.)

We’ve been working and working and working, and feeling like nothing is really getting accomplished. But just when I was starting to feel like we’d be sanding and painting until we retired, I started to notice the change. I’m starting to see glimpses, tiny little peeks, at just how great it’s all going to be when we’re done. Things are s l o w l y coming together and there are beautiful little spots where the light hits just right and I think, Woah, this is really happening.

Our hope with this project (these many, many projects) was to create a home that was brighter, more modern, and more to our taste. We’re going to be here awhile, so why not really love the space we’re living in?

I’m not going to say it has all been sunshine and roses. My husband and I have very different approaches to home projects and we have had our fair share of spats, disagreements, all out fights, and hurt feelings. I’ll be the first to admit I was building up a hefty little store of resentment and anger throughout this process. But then Ryan said something to me the other day that completely changed the way I’ve been looking at this.

I’m doing all of this for you, so you’re happy in our home. I just want to make you happy.

Well, that just about did me in right then and there.

He’s picky about brush strokes showing and paint dribbles because he wants it to look as nice and professionally done as possible. For me.

He’s working himself to the bone because he wants to create a home that I love. For me.

We bought 14 paint samples for the guest room because he wants it to be perfect. For me.

He’s doing all of this for me. I guess you could say it’s his love language.

It finally hit me - I’ve been selfish. Yes, I haven’t had time to knit or bake or putter around the house hardly at all. Yes, I’m irritated that I can’t sit down at the dining room table because we’re using it as a staging area for painting. But this guy has been working almost every single night and weekend. The least I could do is shut up about having to go to Home Depot for the third time that day. I’m really trying harder to show how truly grateful I am for all of his work. For his efforts. For everything he does for me. I’m trying to show up, jump in, and be more helpful. For him, because he does so much for me.

 

 

Progress

Just a quick update today, to show you that I am indeed making progress. A little before bed crafting + knitting session last night was definitely good for the soul.

Garage Sale Potential

See this guy? What a creepy looking owl, right? I picked him up for a song while out garage sale-ing with a friend a couple years ago. (Sale-ing? Is that a word?)

I figured, I'd bring him home, give him a little bath, and a fresh coat of paint. He'd spruce up the place in no time.

Guess where he's been living? Yep, shacking up with my curtain fabric in the long-term storage... I mean, office closet.

I've been on a mission to tackle some of the craft projects that have been hanging around the longest, and this guy nearly fell on my head when I was hunting down some candles.

Congrats, Mr. Owl, you're up.

I applied two coats of Martha Stewart satin craft paint in the Cloud color with a small foam brush. The paint went on great and dried quickly. It was so much fun, my husband even wanted in on the action.

Mr. Owl now is now perched on my newly fall-ified mantle. I kind of love it.

 And what's even better? I got off my rear end and did something. It didn't take that long, just a little bit of time and effort, and I"m so thrilled with the result.

Don't Think, Just Do for the win.

31 Days :: Curtain Call

 

I have been obsessed with this fabric for years now. I originally saw it a couple years ago when Pink and Polka Dot slipcovered this chair.

I couldn't stop thinking about this beautiful print. I would go online several times a day to find the best price for it. I began daydreaming about wallpapering my office with it. Overkill? Possibly. But I was in love.

After much deliberation, I decided that this fabric was destined to become curtains in my office. It didn't matter at all that I didn't know how to use my sewing machine. It couldn't be that hard, right? Besides, this fabric was perfect. Once I figured out the perfect use for it, I had to have it. Right. Now.

I immediately went online and bought 8 yards of it. Yes, I am aware of just how much fabric 8 yards is. But I wanted to be sure I had enough. These curtains were going to be incredible.

Fast forward two years. That beautiful fabric that I lusted over and just had to have? It's sitting (nicely folded) in a tote in the bottom of my office closet. And the windows in my office? They're curtainless.

What happened?

You see, once I had this beauty in my possession, I was terrified to cut into it. What if I screwed it up? My curtains will be awful and they'll look ridiculous and I might as well just throw that money away.

But you know what? That money is already spent. And that fabric isn't doing anyone or any thing any good sitting in the bottom of a closet (least of all my naked windows). So what if my curtains aren't perfect? At least if I make them I'll be able to enjoy that lovely fabric, right?

I can't do that if it's hidden in a closet.

So, here in front of all of you, I hereby declare that this month I will make those curtains! Like the Nester says, It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

Don't think, just do.

Are you interested in the rest of 31 Days of Don't Think...Just Do? You can view the whole series here.