Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Controlled Chaos-The Myth

Happy New Year! I hope your Christmas and New Year celebrations were fun and sweet! I took a couple weeks off from the blog; enjoyed being with my family, nursed a cold and ear infection, got my home back to "normal" (bahahahaha) and started back to school with my youngest.

The new year always catches me by surprise. I don't know why. I sit here staring at the computer with writer's/diy-er block. What do I do? What can I do? I need to do something so I will have something to write about. What if I have run out of ideas? ... GAH! What about all the things I thought about after meeting Miss Mustard Seed? What were they???? .... GAH! I'm doomed.

Then....in the distance I saw a knight in shining armor coming to my rescue....

Actually, it was Mister sitting opposite me at the dining table.

He said he doesn't like the dining room (finished product here) being in the front room. We switched it to that room over two years ago after we renovated the kitchen (that work can be seen here). I had pushed for and loved the idea and talked Mister into it but apparently the old adage is still true " A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still". He honestly did give it a good run and wasn't saying it was a must but just put in his two cents. Oh, and he hates the way my work space looks! He has a point there.




For about a month our tv has been on the fritz. The sound was way off from the picture. Everybody looked like they were in a b-rated, foreign monster movie from the 70's. We lived with it for a while but had finally had enough and headed to the store to scope out sales- because you know all those MLK Day sales that happen, right?! We came home with an even bigger screen than before! They really are getting ridiculous. I should charge admission and serve popcorn.

Anyway, that all led to Mister thinking the tv needed to be moved to another wall. And, well, that is a whole 'nother something! Old houses have quirky things about them that often far surpass painted trim and carpet over hardwood. There are doors boarded over, walls moved, fireplaces removed and floors poorly patched, additions and after-thoughts, and so on and so on. We have seen it all in this house. Oh, but I am way headed of myself...


So, that "new" gallery wall I completed just a few months ago needed to make way for Mister's new tv. I get totally annoyed reading some other blogs when I see a beautiful room completed only to see everything redone three months later. The waste of money kills me! I can think of a million things to waste money on- but rehabs and reno's? I am a one and done type of person. Do, do it right, and move on. Paint colors and moving furniture is a different thing. Fortunately, I can move my gallery wall to another wall and nothing will be lost-except my time. Right!


Exploratory work. This is where the gallery wall was. Mister is looking to see where he can hide the cords for the new tv. 


Fake bead board wainscotting removed revealed a layer of wall paper. 


Wall paper layer #2 with 8" baseboards. 


  The bead board must come down, he said. Obviously we're not ready for demo as we did not even move the rug or furniture!


Third layer of wall paper-art deco style.


A doorway dry-walled over. There must have been a wall extending across making this two rooms at one time. 


Maybe NOW we should consider putting up some protection... Yes, that is knob and tube electrical wires.... What started as a little hole has turned into this! He is out of control. 




Half my living room is this right now. 
Our new tv has opened a can of worms that has been sitting on the shelf for the 13+ years that we have owned the house. We always went back and forth with the idea but it always went the way of "let it be someone else's project, someday". But, here we are...today. Mister thinks we should do this in sections to "control the chaos", as he puts it. I think we should just do it...except that it is January and opening the outside walls that have  NO INSULATION AT ALL seems crazy to me but living with half my living room like this until spring is not an attractive option. With all that said, any seasonal decorating posts in the near future will be contained to the kitchen and dining room (which is on hold for now).

The year to come has lots of fun things in store. I am working on another project right now that I will tell you more about later. It is for someone else which makes it even more exciting for me. Suddenly, there are a lot of projects in my future and lots to share with you along the way. What was I worried about? Controlled chaos? It's a myth! Chaos has been unleashed and I need some chocolate cuz' this one's gonna be a doozy!

Happy 2017! It's going to be a fun year!

4 comments:

  1. Wow, it certainly looks like you are going to be busy. A large project indeed.

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    1. I am overwhelmed just thinking about it! Thanks for stopping by, I hope you come back to see the progress .... and I hope it doesn't include a self of me curled into a fetal position!

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  2. Jolena. Wow you certainly have opened up a can of worms. I think in the end it will be worth it because you'll have piece of mind. Good luck, and I'll be following along.

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    1. Boy, oh boy, I hope you're right, Mary! I am thinking about what I could buy instead with the money that is going to go into my "piece of mind". I'll keep you posted....

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