Resurgence

Well, I’m back after several months.  Something pulled the air from beneath my wings and I didn’t feel like writing.  I shouldn’t have let what happened affect me as it did, but I did.  And that’s all I have to say about that.

Tonight I am very happy to report that the remodel of our daughter’s childhood bedroom has transformed it into an adult abode that, I think, beckons coziness and rest.  I started the project way back in March.  My daughter probably figured I’d never finish it as I stopped mid project for a while.  But once I picked it back up, there was no stopping.  My husband and I did the painting but left the most important job of installing hardwood floors and trim work to the professionals.  I can’t believe I’m about to do this, but here are the before photos.  Her room wasn’t usually a mess like this.  Actually, she always kept her room clean and tidy when she was still living there.  But she had lots and lots of stuff.  The two pictures below are in the midst of packing all that stuff up and away. Did I mention that she had lots of stuff?

I am responsible for the ugly pink carpet.  Keep in mind that we built the house in the early 90’s and our daughter was a mere child of 8 when we moved in.  Pink = little girl.  Little girl = pink.  That’s my pitiful defense.

My daughter is responsible for the bright yellow walls that are so sunny I would go into the room to turn the light off and find that it wasn’t even on. At the age of 16, after living in a frilly room for 8 years with horrid pink carpet and walls and ribbon-design wallpaper, she determined to rid herself of as much of the frill as she could.  And who could blame her? She removed the wallpaper and did all the painting herself.  I was proud of her for doing that even if it does prove just how much she deplored the wallpaper and Pepto Bismol pink paint and carpet that I’d picked out years earlier.

But those days are long gone.  She left for college just a couple years after painting those walls bright yellow and though she’s been home for summers and holidays, hasn’t lived full time with us in years. Saying that out loud hurts my heart.  I’d mentioned making changes to her room several times but she wasn’t ready for that and, quite frankly, neither was I.  Empty nesting is truly for birds.

But today is a different day.  She’s a grown woman now with a home of her own, a professional career, and engaged to be married very soon.  It was time – beyond time – to change the room to an adult’s bedroom, sans movie posters, dolls, stuffed animals, knick knacks, and collages of high school friends (and all the dust that had collected in crevices everywhere).  And putrid pink carpet and sunny yellow walls.

I just love it.

Doing all this work has pulled me back into my creative self that I’d put on a back shelf for years.  I love feeling creative and making warm and cozy places in my home for my family.  Even if they are just home now and then.  Heck, even if I am just home now and then (still working 3 hours away during the week).  Besides the painting, there are several DIY projects that I completed.  I refinished the nightstand (I found it for $13 at a thrift store)…painted the lamps with this new Looking Glass paint from Krylon that’s all the rave on Pinterest…stenciled the rug, and finished a  couple of other crafty projects. I’ll write about those in another post.