Eyes wide shut !

I have a talent that I've never discussed on the blog.
I can live in an alternate reality IF I can focus on ONE thing that I like.

In the midst of chaos - mayhem - utter disgusting vomit inducing renovations - if I can look up and see
something pleasing to the eye - something that shows me the direction it's going in - my heart rate can beat at a somewhat normal rate.

So while you might see this when walking into the room we're working on

or this

or even this

you have to understand that what I'm seeing is this

If among the crow bars and hammers and paint cans and ladders I can see a little bit of glitz and sparkle
I'm almost fine

I keep a couple of battery operated candles on these usually - because cleaning wax off the mirror drives me crazy - they were purchased at Pier 1 years ago - I still love them as much as I did when I bought them

I can reach for the stars if one happens to be on the mantel as a reminder

And of course mood lighting is always important when you're patching walls

It's the only way I can do it - seriously - the ONLY way I can get through all of this crap

I don't see this broken light when I walk into the room either

Instead I see the chandeliers I packed up from our last home gracing this room

( and can I just say I never should have went back to this post to get that picture - I feel sick now )
You can see the post on the house we sold last November HERE

As I'm writing this up - I hear John yelling downstairs

John says - WTH is going on in here?
Suzan says - What now?
John says - Have you taken leave of your senses ?  ( yes - he talks like that )
Suzan says - I have no idea what you're talking about
John says - GET ALL OF THESE DOO DADS OFF THE MANTEL - WE'RE WORKING IN HERE FOR GOD'S SAKES !!!!!!!!!!
Suzan says - DO.  NOT.  TOUCH.  THAT.  MANTEL.
Suzan says - Seriously John - don't touch it - my sanity is hanging precariously off those doo dads right now
Suzan says - Just work around it
John says - I'm not painting around all of that stuff - this is ridiculous - how do you expect.................
Suzan says - leave me alone, I'm blogging.
John says - Yeah - well blog someone what you're doing down here - see how sane they think you are!!!
( that's his favorite expression - " go blog someone " )
John says - Why is there a candle on - unbelievable - this is completely unbelievable
Suzan says - And by the way - golf tees are doo dads - cigar cutters are doo dads - what's on the mantel are treasures - just to clarify that little point.

Here's why the candles are lit if the truth be known.

Star light - Star bright
First star I see tonight
I wish I may - I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight

That this house will not be the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life .....................it's a prayer I've been saying nightly.

As for working around things - well you're reading the blog of a women who used to change her kid's rooms around while they slept - and at times painted a wall in their room while I was at it - I'm a master at this game - a decorated mantel?  Phhht - piece of cake!

And at the end of the day -
Whatever gets you through the night..................

I love my plank wall - and my mantel - and pic monkey - oh how I love pic monkey

I like wine too - it's just as important as my mantel - for medicinal purposes don't you know - I simply don't know how people renovate houses without it !

Suzan says - John,  if I fall asleep while painting - can you just kick me over to the general vicinity of the planked wall and fireplace?  I want it to be the only thing I see when I wake up
John says - Gladly - I'd gladly kick you anywhere you want dear.............

Have a wonderful day everyone..............
I still have the bottom half of the mantel to do and then
I'm going to tweak it - priorities - it's all about priorities

And the plank wall is almost finished - show you soon !!!

Much love,

Come join me at these fabulous parties !

Savvy Southern Style                           Have a daily cup of Mrs. Olson                     I Gotta Create !
Ivy & Elephants                           From my Front Porch to Yours                     Katherine's Corner
French Country Cottage                      Shabby Art Boutique                                    My Turn for Us
Too much time on my hands                My Romantic Home                                     Craft-O-Maniac
Funky Junk Interiors                           One More Time Events                                 The DIY Showoff
Life on Lakeshore Drive                     I Should be Mopping the Floor                      Creatively Living
Between Naps on the Porch               Coastal Charm                                              Sand & Sisal
A Stroll Thru Life                               Stone Gable                                                  Kathe with an E
Cupcakes & Crinoline

Don't listen to your Mother.....................

Sometime back in April  my daughter called me from the Dollar store.  The conversation is kind of how I remember it.................

She told me they had bags of gladiolus bulbs and did I want some..............

Mom says -Nah - I wouldn't trust bulbs from the dollar store.
Lindsay says - Why not?
Mom says - Well - I just wouldn't - they're probably seconds or something
Lindsay says - How can bulbs be seconds?
Mom says - I'm not sure but I wouldn't buy bulbs from the dollar store
Lindsay says - Well I'm going to buy some to plant in planters for the balcony.
( they live in a highrise apartment )
Mom says - Every now and then, Lindsay, I know what I'm talking about - I wouldn't buy them from the dollar store if I were you.
Lindsay says- You're such a snob.

Yesterday I found this beautiful bouquet outside our front door - from Lindsay
I'm in awe - they're gorgeous - the color is perfection - they're tall and straight and perfect !

Today John was going to the dollar store

John says - Is there anything you want?
Suzan says - Yes - I want a bunch of bags of Gladiolus bulbs
John says - WTH?  I said I'm going to the DOLLAR STORE
Suzan says - I heard you - and I want a bunch of bags of Gladiolus bulbs
John says - I wouldn't buy anything like that from the Dollar store
Suzan says - Why not?
John says - I just wouldn't -
Suzan says - Please just listen to me for once.......................there's nothing wrong with buying bulbs from the dollar store.
John says - You can't plant them in the Fall anyway
Suzan says - OF COURSE YOU CAN PLANT THEM IN THE FALL - and they'll be fine - like tulips

Aren't they beautiful ?
I just found out we can't plant them in the fall here - but first thing next Spring I'll be buying as many of these as I can fit in my DOLLAR STORE cart

John says - Hey Clever Clogs, it turns out you CAN'T plant these things in the fall
Suzan says - Please don't call me that - it turns my stomach and makes me want to vomit a little bit.

He's strutting around like a peacock right now - I HATE it when he's right -  sadly it happens once every 5 years or so - I've learned to suck it up.  I'm safe now until 2019 so if the truth be known I'm relieved it's out of the way.

Moral of the story.

Don't listen to your Mother OR your wife all of the time ( most of the time but definitely not all of the time )

And because the plank wall is ohsoclose to being done - we just need to trim it out - and try to hide the fact that the bottom of the planks don't reach the floor on one side ( .sing with me everyone - " there was a
crooked girl - who walked a crooked mile )

I was able to stage the vase of flowers against it anyway - I call this next shot -   " Gladiolus against a bleached plank wall "

 Next time you're at the dollar store - and you see these bulbs - pick them up !
SOMEBODY please listen to me - I know of what I speak ( sometimes )

Oh and before I forget - I found this on Craigs List - to put against the plank wall ( just the mantel ) so
YAY - I'll have something else to paint - good times ! ( in case you were getting worried that I might be running out of things.)
I like all the curves -

It's going a clean crisp white - in the process as I type - because I paint with one hand while I write up posts with the other
Sneak peak time?

Here's it is decorated courtesy of Pic Monkey

As much as I can work a little magic on this - one side will not hit the floor

And they all lived together in a little crooked house ♪♫♪

Have a wonderful Monday all
Much love,
The know-it-all

Party Time !!!

Between Naps on the Porch                        Coastal Charm                            Stone Gable
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia                A Stroll Thru Life                        Kathe with an E
Cupcakes & Crinoline                         Homestories A to Z                     Savvy Southern Style
Have a daily cup of Mrs. Olson                   I Gotta Create !                           Ivy & Elephants
From my Front Porch to Yours                   Katherine's Corner                      Bloom Design Online
The Charm of Home                                   Shabby Art Boutique                   French Country Cottage
Too much time on my hands                        My Turn for Us                           My Romantic Home
One More Time Events                               Life on Lakeshore Drive              Creatively Living
I Should be Mopping the Floor                   CraftOManiac