It becomes necessary
to just throw your hands in the air
and just be finished already!
That’s how I felt today after finishing 6 layouts.
Six layouts.
and it was only 2 o’clock.
I think this is a first for me.
No deadlines… no reason… just cuz.
Yes, I do have deadlines.  But today I ignored them.
It felt good.
I used rub ons I’ve been hoarding for months.
I mixed up paint and slathered it around.
I stiched things together and snipped things apart.
And after six layouts, I picked up yet another photo,
and realized it was time to stop.
Before everything started looking the same, ya know?
I’ve only done this once before–
but I’m gonna send 3 of those pages in to mags
on the off chance they want to pub them.
It’s fun to think about getting pubbed,
but honestly, I think I prefer creating
without the intent of submitting for publication.
Somehow, it’s freeing
when you know you’re not going to submit a layout.
I can work outside the lines.
No worries- no fear of rejection.
Just making crap the way I want.
And damned it I care what anyone else thinks of it.
So that’s why I stopped today.
I felt my creativity getting stagnant
and my designs getting “cutesy”…
aka boring… aka “everybody’s doing it.”

So- off to do something not everybody’s doing! ;)
Makin a headboard.
I’ll be back with pics of the process.
But until then, here’s a sneak of my room so far!

Making headway on the room!
All that is left is installing the light
and making the headboard.
Went by an antique mall- which is always hit or miss-
usually hit, though.
And today I hit.
Three times.
Picked up some stuff for the room:

Which, by the way, I plan on painting that mirror white.

And I also picked up a gift for one of my very best friends.
She has been dating this guy for like six years.
And she had her whole wedding planned.
But no ring, no engagement, no date.
We’re talking like hyper planner here.
It was killing her.
So while I was gone at the sisiversary event,
he finally popped the question!!
Anyway, she resides all the way over in Chicago,
and I won’t see her until the 4th of July,
So I wanted to send her something special.
Found THIS

at the antique shop, and at first bought it selfishly.
Then it occurred to me- it would make the perfect gift!
So, I’m going to wrap it up tonight
and send it on its merry way tomorrow.
It’s got a lot of goofy articles inside

about how like now it’s your mission in life
to make your husband happy.
Some silly stuff. Some sweet stuff,
and actually some useful stuff!
Anyway, it’s vintage 1947 stuff, and I’m sure she’ll like it!

Well, it’s rainy and I’m tired.
Perfect ingredients for a nap right now.

Since the rest of the house is under seemingly constant construction,
I decided that our bedroom needs to be transformed
into a cheery little getaway from the chaos and destruction
of the first floor….
and, we only have one living room,
so when you just gotta get away,
I want a nice place to go.
I suppose I have my work cut out for me.

We’re normally neat–
but we just finished moving, and not everything has found it’s place yet.

And it is also ironic that in order to create a retreat
from the mess of construction,
I must make more mess and construction:
Painting the walls white.
Ripping up the carpet.
Sanding the floors.
Staining and varnishing.
It all seemed so easy in my head.
I’ve also decided to nix the bulky bed
that my brother so kindly has been letting us use.
I’m going to opt for a minimal bedframe (30 bucks)
and a home-made upholstered headboard (70 bucks).
New yellow pottery barn sheets will help
Along with this duvet cover,

and this little light fixture.

The whole project is going to be very cheap-
although if I had more money I would replace
the blinds on the windows…
the baseboards and trim (hideous in person)
and the closet doors that won’t close all the way.
Down the road we can fix all the problem stuff.
Hey- in this case, I’m pretty sure
that it’s okay to be superficial.
Off to work, then dinner and a movie with the girls.