ANTICIPATION

Well the much awaited bedroom saga is finally ready to be shared with the public.

This has been an awesome project, lasting over two and a half months. My life literally got put on hold and things that should have taken priority got put on the back burner, including my health. I got sick a few times over the course of this project, probably from lack of sleep among other things.

The mission was to create a dream bedroom for the girls for their Christmas present. Little did I know that my imagination would take over my concious being and I would become a monster. I saw nothing but pink and blue. I created more work than I originally had planned but I couldn't be stopped. Nothing would stand in the way of my dream bedroom, wait I mean the girl's dream bedroom.

The plan was to eliminate the snoopy and sneaky eyes of my children. So I removed their mattresses from their room and planted them in their brother's room much to their chagrin. Next I swapped out their doorknob with one that had a keyed lock. I carried the key on my person for the entire length of the project. BWAAA HAAAA HAAAAA.

First I needed to make new comforters for their beds. No I was not going to do this simply. No going to the store and picking out cute bedspreads was not going to happen .......I was going to quilt, without a quilting machine. I was going to quilt with chanille and baby fleece, and make it the softest and fluffiest quilt I could. Then I was going to tie it......with RIBBON!!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???!?!?!?!? I made my mother and grandmother come help tie these things late at night. While I stood over them with a whip and a needle I hounded these women to tie the quilts exactly the way I had in mind. After that I decided the girls needed pillow shams to match, with each girl's initial on them and a tiara. Yah it keeps going. That's just the comforters.

The Next thing was the paint job. I say job, because it was just that. I will never in my lifetime paint Harlequin diamonds again. The effect I wanted was a stunning midieval look that would stand the test of time. After the week long taping and painting was done I decided that I could care less if the girls hated it in two to ten years time, because they would be stuck with it regardless of their feelings. The technique to accomplish this paint job is painstaking and tedious. It requires a lot of measuring, drawing, and taping. But it turned out well I think.

Well since Mommy monster has sold the beds that my girls slept on to fund our nightmare.... I needed to have my wonderful sweet husband become an impromptu carpenter. "CREATE THE BEDS", I demanded. "and they better be freaking adorable."

He drew pictures, took measurements, and then he thought and thought and thought. I hate that part. Finally he had his plan. After our 400,032nd trip to the hardware store, we were able to start sawing and hammering and nailing. Hopefully this time without shooting himself tin the finger. The more Minnie Mouse they looked the better. Boy was I happy with the way they turned out.

The cornice boxes were new for my hubby and me but they were easy to do none the less. Painting them with spray paint was a huge mistake. I made myself sick. How do kids huff that stuff? Something must really be wrong with them.

The lampshade was put together by my mother and father. Another original creation from the mind of a monster. They also purchased a really awful ottoman from goodwill that I am sure came right through a time machine from the 60's and into my living room. I took the girls old window box cushion and reupholstered that disaster into a cute little foot stool for my darlings.

We also had to install an adorable chandelier that the Pink lady gave to us as a gift for the project. I honestly can say that it is probably her fault that I did this in the first place. That light just released the deamons within. Sharon was also my scapegoat. Any time I worked on anything pink I said it was for her. It totally worked.

The project involved lots of little projects like little cusions for their new loveseat. A bookshelf that I found on Craigslist and painted and loads of little details.

This project would not have been possible had it not been for the contributions that were made by friends and family.

I owe a huge thanks to Sharon (the Pink Lady), Aunt Colleen (who contributed money), Great Grandma Sylvia (who also contributed money), Great Grandpa Jack (who gave a cash contribution), Great Grandma Mardell (who helped with the quilts, My mother and father who both created the lampshade and helped with the quilts. And of course my wonderful miracle worker of a husband who took an entire week off from work to help tame my insanity and make dreams happen.

The girls were totally ecstatic. They loved every little detail. It really was a memorable Christmas for not only them but for me and my family as well. Thank you everyone for your help and for your patience in dealing with my craziness the last couple of months.

Back to normalacy......somewhat.