Friday, February 26, 2010

And They All Stood By and Watched...















So continuing on, here sat both a dream and a nightmare. If you look past the blemishes and physical tragedies due to such neglect, I think the dream is easy to see. The nightmare was the actual elbow grease, unforeseen costs, and hours of labor when getting down to the nitty-gritty required, in becoming Fairy Godmother to this Cinderella.

Everyday we got tangled up in one challenge or another. One day, might be a battle with a mold problem, sucking up water in the basement, or sanding peeling paint off the walls and ceiling. Another day, might be filling out forms and paying money to the Conservation Committee, for permission to cut away the enormous amount of bittersweet, as it strangled its way through everything in sight. It also didn’t help that we had an overwhelming situation with getting all the stored things out, so we could fix things up and move our stuff in. (7 years of neglected stuff...Nobody wanted to deal with it.) I already told you about the water in the basement, right? Can you even imagine what became of all the stuff stored down there? I can describe it in one word….Hazmat!

As far as the decorating and painting was concerned, at first I had to keep the colors the same. So, I started in the living room and asked permission to sponge the blues, creams and whites that were present in the room. After they saw the job I did, I was able to change the colors throughout. We also had to get special permission for painting the outside. The first yellow the Historical Society approved, based upon a sample I presented, came out all wrong! It looked like a cheap, artificial daffodil. I hated it and shed a lot of tears. As you get to know me, you will find that nothing upsets me like the wrong color! So I went to my friend at the Historical Society and showed her the swatch. Well as it turns out, their color sample booklet was more than 17 years old and the lady at the store couldn’t get a correct match with what they gave her. So, with Memorial Day weekend approaching, we came up with a plan. I was to get out there and paint like a wild woman throughout the weekend, while all who would express concern attended their picnics! I was to get the entire front done and if anyone questioned me, I was to say that the first (and incorrect) coat was the primer!

Below are some photos of the transformation as it began. The people in the town drove by, beeping and cheering us on. Sometimes, as they went on their walks, they would simply stand by and watch.

Blogs to come will illustrate an evolution of changes. Then, we will be up to date and entering into the changes for this season. I’m so excited!


Get out there and paint! (May, 2008)



I remember leaving, this particular day, exhausted but feeling good!


The day worth waiting for! I made the mosaic boxes and Wayne came and put them up!


He even brought all the flowers for the boxes and all the flowers in containers!


The awning poles were still up...What a pain to get down. I don't know how Wayne did it!






It just got better and better!



A bit of a difference...No wonder they beeped and cheered!





6 comments:

  1. Wow, what a change and what hard work you both did. Just beautiful. Wish I lived close by to shop there. Thanks so much for your gracious comment.

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  2. Thanks, Kim. I wish you lived closer too. I think we could have a lot of decorating fun together. Once again, I love the way that room came out!

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  3. Dear Karen, welcome to the blogosphere ! My friend Elizabeth got me started last January. She is a very excellent blogger, and writes one called The World Examining Works. Check hers out. She is a very excellent writer and blogs almost every day. I do it once a week or so. My interests are gardening, cooking, antiques, and art.thanks again.

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  4. Thank you Lori! Yours was the 1st blog I've ever even seen...I am so impressed! I will certainly check out your friend's blog. I'm really enjoying all of this. I enjoy the same things you do and will definitely keep in touch!

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  5. You have done such a wonderful job. What talent! If your painting business was closer to me, I would hire you in a second to paint the outside of my house.

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  6. Thanks for your compliments, Elaine (my middle name, by the way). I actually don't paint the outside of homes professionally. (Because I could only afford someone to do it for me once in my life, I have painted my own places...and still will...but not for anyone else...too many bugs and other things...whatever!) I did a lot of faux finish painting and hand painted boarders in TN. However, my "love" is painted furniture. The painting and renovating of other peoples properties (meaning the shops I rent) I do so that I can convey the look of what I have to sell. It was also really nice to take a town eyesore and make it into something pretty. Thank you so much for your visits to my blog. I hope you find that we can have creative adventures together! Love, Karen

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