I'm being held hostage this week...by this guy and his partner. They are removing wallpaper and painting my dining room, downstairs hallway, stairway and upstairs hall. Basically, all of the connecting parts of my house, which has me contained in small areas from 9:00 to 5:00, dodging wet wallpaper slop and plaster dust. No matter what I plan for myself to do in one area, I find myself antsy to drift off to another activity, in a temporarily inaccessible part of the house. I think it's just that I don't like workmen in the house, no matter how congenial and hardworking they are.
Above is a shot from before we bought the house. (Don't you love the phone alcove?) The previous owners had each room done in early American colors, with all woodwork (and ceilings!) painted *bone*. Their colors complemented each other, but once the wallpaper was stripped off, it looked pretty dismal. Like smoker's ceiling.
Now that the wallpaper's removed and the plaster walls are washed down and repaired, they are painting my ceilings a soft white and the walls...can you guess? (I'll bet Judy can.) Dover white. Ahhh...I'm feeling better already. It's looking so much bigger! And clean. But it will be another couple of days before I can bid the guys adieu. In the meantime, I'm working on the holiday lists and chipping away at my Christmas cards.
And look what arrived as we were leaving for our Thanksgiving trip...my doll quilt from the Doll Quilt Swap 5. It's from Jamie at Remnants and it's a charmer! Can you believe that it's her first quilt? Ever? This is what I love about swaps like this...they push participants to try something new. Look at how she's bound the edges with an overcast of perle cotton. (I'm filing that idea away for future use.) Thanks so much, Jamie! I rotate styles and it will fit right in when I display my traditional quilts.
Do you need us to send in a negotiator and some food, or are you still living off Thanksgiving?
Posted by: Pinneguri | December 04, 2008 at 01:50 AM
Ooh, I love the instant change new paint can bring. Do show us when they're done.
Posted by: anina | December 04, 2008 at 09:21 AM
I love soothing white walls. Such nice canvases to display things!
Posted by: Chris | December 04, 2008 at 10:35 AM
This will be a wonderful fresh canvas for you! I had hoped to have some painting done this fall too, well before the holidays but it doesn't seem to be happening... Sigh.
I REALLY like that overcast stitch on the edge of that quilt. Great idea!
Posted by: KathieB | December 04, 2008 at 10:40 AM
You're killing me! My house is being painted this week too. How funny. Not funny is that I have had to sleep in the boys room the past 2 nights because they have had to do many coats in our bedroom. (But worth it- the color is extraordinary. Dragon's Breath)
Good luck!
Posted by: KT | December 04, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Well you like that color so that's what you shall have Miss Jan! I'm actually going a little more sedate this time around too. Rather than all the colors, I'm sticking with a nice latte color all around. Of course I've only done the entry!
Can't wait to see how it all turns out!*s*
Posted by: JudyC | December 04, 2008 at 02:55 PM
one of the smart things we did (because we had the time, mainly) was to get the house painted before we moved in, although it wasn't toooo too bad from renters. But moving into to all clean and tidy was VERY nice. 1st and 2nd shipment here; large amount of boxes from Kz next week. Sigh. Taking a long time to get through what is here -- still boxes of packing materials in the garage, and stuff to get rid of. Best thing we did today was take two runs to the Salvation Army thrift center -- drop off, no quetions asked and if I say so myself, our "stuff" was a lot better than some of the stuff I saw on the floor. But I could hear a lot of people in the place, so I'm happy that some of our items will find a home -- just not in MINE LOL.
Nice quilt swap -- how lovely to see that you have been able to do that in all of the .... w o r k . We did spend Thanksgiving up in the mountains -- a great break from the first couple of days of boxes.
My sewing room will be IKEA white, with some black and red. But mostly white!
M
Posted by: MaryjoO | December 05, 2008 at 12:46 AM
Won't it be just fab when it's done!
Posted by: Cascade Lily | December 05, 2008 at 05:12 AM
DAMN. Now I'm itching for fresh paint!
Posted by: blackbird | December 05, 2008 at 09:07 PM