Makeover

My dear sweet Tante spent her entire afternoon here yesterday. With just a hammer and some nails, she totally gave my living room a new look- rearranging what I already had.

I wish that we had taken a "before" picture because the difference is amazing.  I couldn't get the whole room in the shot-- I almost fell to my death from my perch on the ledge of the staircase.

Here are a few things that she taught me about decorating.

1. Always use odd numbers to group things (ie. pictures, knick knacks, etc)

2. Hang pictures low, at least down at eye level.

3. Vary heights.  Your eye should go up and down as you look around a room.

4. Keep the room interesting, create opportunities for your guests to discover surprises.

5. Old and out of shape women (I include myself) can move any piece of furniture when they get excited about decorating-- we know because we moved my huge, heavy armoire approximately 6 inches.

I am so grateful to her for coming.  I always enjoy my time with her, and my room looks so much better.  She promised to come back and tackle another one next time.

Also made over was my mop.  I am much less excited about this change.  Almost 8 hard earned inches hacked of my hair.  It is just a whole lot thinner and shorter that I had pictured.  Oh well, it is not like an arm or leg or something...it will grow back.

New shoes too.  Flats are becoming a compulsion for me.  Perhaps it is their resemblance to ballet shoes that makes them so endearing.  Good thing Old Navy makes them cute and CHEAP!  These were $11.70 online.

I must tell you what my husband did for me yesterday.  I left the house in a raging mess as I overslept and scurried to get the girls off to school on time.  After dropping them off and keeping an appt. I was to meet my Aunt back at the house for our afternoon of decorating.  I was feeling pretty overwhelmed and upset because the house was going to be so gross for my company and I wanted to make her a nice lunch too.  With dread I pulled into the driveway with only 30 minutes to attack the house before my Aunt was due.  I was strategizing about hiding dirty dishes and sweeping crumbs into a corner in order for everything to look somewhat presentable. As I walked inside, I couldn't believe what I saw.  A perfectly, PERFECTLY clean house.  My wonderful, handsome, thoughtful, considerate husband had some compassion on my plight and stayed behind us that morning to clean the house.  We're talking vacuuming, dishes and all!  Isn't that just the sweetest thing that you have ever heard?  It was such a treat for me.  Truly, I don't deserve him- well maybe a little.

Have a great weekend!