Friday, September 22, 2017

The Hanging | Our Living Room Continued



I’m a Do-It-Yourselfer.

I mean…As long as the tool list only involves a hot glue gun and scissors.

Which is to say that, really, I don’t like to measure.

Which is to say that, really, I’m not good at measuring.

Which is to say that, really, I HATE ANYTHING TO DO WITH A MEASURING TAPE.

Or an instruction pamphlet-y-thing.

Or a drill.

Hammers are okay, but not my favorite. 

Problem is, Ethan is a man’s man.  He lives in a world of fresh air, gear oil, heavy equipment, and people managing. He hates decorating. He’s wished for patience, but even picture-hanging wriggles uncomfortably all over him. You can almost see his misery without him saying a word. 

Resolutely pushing the kitchen chair over to the windows, I gave myself a pep talk on how “I’ll never get any better with a drill and screws if I don’t practice, and really, what better place to start than on a job that neither of us particularly like to do? He will be proud; so proud, to see his wife taking initiative and sparing him the torture of a house project.”

Bad, Bad, Bad idea…

It took me three hours to hang the first rod. I gave up after that. Not sure what part of my brain is missing, since I did pass math class in high school…but curtains and fractions are nowhere close to similar. Even though they’re supposed to be. I mentally promised that I would never try this again. Ever. 


Uneasily, I waited for him to come home, silently pleading for him not to look too close…see what a struggle I’d had…see the extra screw holes…the couple that I wasn’t strong enough to drill all the way in…

He walked in the door, and saw them. He eyed up my hanging job, looked back at me and smiled. and smiled. and smiled, until finally he just shook his head and laughed. 
“You.” He grinned. 

So he helped me. He and his Mom, who are both amazing with measuring tapes. They’re all hung now, and the echoey coldness of our pre-curtained room has been replaced with warmth and cozy. But I died at least thirty times that night.

This is only chapter 934 in the classic novel “I Tried”, written on the life of our recently departed, who expired from excruciating embarrassment. 

On another note: Here’s a little vignette that happened above our fireplace the other day. In honor of fall and winter, you know. I’m not super crazy about winter colors…but white is kind of like snow, right? Sorry. I love my flowers. I can’t give them up for a vase of cotton or a boxful of pine needles. Twinkle lights with winterize this, I hope. 


Oh, yeah - and these antlers are from a deer that Ethan killed last year. He didn’t think they were impressive enough to do anything with, but they turned out to be just what I needed to add a little “rustic” to the ((somewhat)) “refined” look. 


Tell me what you think!

6 comments:

Bethany d said...

YOUR HOUSE IS SO CUTE! Come do mine!!

Unknown said...

I love the curtains and the arrangement on the fireplace! Just lovely!! Now you can help me do mine! ��

Anna said...

Hahahaha: I'm the unworthiness candidate to tell anybody how to decorate. It takes me 392 years to decide what I want to do. Then I do it...and I don't like it. And I have to start allllll over....

Ethan made me promise that this rug was my final selection😂

Anna said...

*unworthiest.

Anonymous said...

Love, love, love the curtains and your mantel is gorgeous! Ethan gets an A for effort...at least he tried not to laugh! Your home is beautiful!
~Mom

Elisabeth said...

Love your mantle and your ode to masculinity by adding the antlers. They are the perfect addition.

I think I would have to contend with being the worst DIY'er. Talk about extra holes in the wall! I've kind of stopped trying now and just wait but it's HARD because I want to get it done now. :)