A Dilema & A Dandy

A few months ago one of Marc's employees, and friend, lost his mother. Marc has been helping "M" with his mother's house, moving his brother, etc. M told Marc to come to the house and see if there was anything he would like to have. One evening Marc and I drove up and went through the house. We picked some vintage toys for Kyle's room, a platter and some curtains. I saw these curtains hanging on the windows and fell in lurve with 'em! As soon as I saw them I knew they would be perfect for our master bedroom.

We brought them home, shook them out and stuck 'em right in the washing machine to soak in oxyclean. After 40 some years of hanging on the windows, and the last few years collecting dust when "M's" mom had been ill, these girls needed some attention. They cleaned up beautifully!!!

They don't photograph well....or I just haven't figured out the proper settings yet. Sorry. Just look at the pattern- beautiful roses with tiny butterflies floating around....

Here is my dilemma: The back of the drapes have that rubber, thermal lining. After hanging on the windows for years and years they had gotten a bit of sun rot/damage. Soaking them in the Oxyclean seemed to make it worse. Or perhaps just putting the brittle fabric in water made it worse- I don't know. This is what the back looks like.....

The fabric on the front looks great but the rubber, thermal stuff on the back is a mess! It is all over the back of each panel. When the panels were still wet I started peeling more off but they start drying and then don't peel so well and I was afraid of damaging the fabric on front. I could keep spraying them and peeling, spraying and peeling- but seriously? There are 6 panels!!! That is going to take A LOT of time. So I am begging- if anyone knows a good way to remove this rubber/thermal backing from curtains, PLEASE let me know! I want to save these curtains, ladies, so I need your help!!! If you don't know- ask your friends, your family, the old lady across the street. I am begging you. If anyone comes up with the solution for removal- I will send you something special. Vintage linens perhaps? Hmmm.......a prize. Yes, that's what I shall do. A surprise prize!

Now, on to my "dandy" of the day. A couple of months back I found some chairs on Craigs list that made my heart go pitter pat. But alas, they were way beyond my budget. Today I was, once again, perusing Craigs list (sorry honey) for some kind of cabinet I could use for my milk glass collection when I came across an ad. It was the same chairs I had seen a couple of months ago but for a MUCH lower price! I was so excited! I called the woman who had them for sale. We talked for awhile, and she ended up knocking more money off!

I needed to call Marc but I had to have a plan first. My husband has a rule "One in- One out" which is my hubby's lingo means: you have to make the money before you can spend the money. So, I grabbed my camera, snapped some pictures of the three living room chairs I currently had in the room and listed them on Craigslist. I decided I would wait until Marc came home from work before asking him about the chairs. That way he could see them and love them as much as I did and want to go pick them up right away without another thought! Right? Hah!

Less than a half hour after I listed my chairs on Craigslist, people started calling and emailing with interest. Like LOTS of people. I was really excited then. When Marc got home I told him about the chairs that I wanted. He remembered that these were the same ones I had seen before and wanted! And before he could say anything else I told him I already had the other chairs listed and pretty much sold. So, he agreed to go get my new chairs. Woohoo!!!

So, what do you think? (Please ignore the cords in the background- we're working on that)

Aren't they perfect?? I really, really love these chairs. If you can really love a chair that is- but you know what I mean! They are from Arhaus (sigh) and covered in the most cottage-y cute fabric. Perfect addition to our living room.

The only thing I wasn't diggin' was the upholstered legs.

So I decided to rip 'em off and see what was under there. I grabbed my trusty screwdriver and went to work pulling out the 572gazillion staples.

And Voila! Solid wood that I will be staining to match my end tables. Yay!

But for now they look way better than they did.

Here they are sitting side by side. Swoon....

My living room is getting closer to completion. One baby step at a time.

Blessings,

Heather:)

I Heart Craigslist

I heart Craigslist. I really do. I have been wanting (pining for, drooling over) the Arhaus iron bed for over ten years now. Seriously. I lurve this bed. But with the high price tag...I just couldn't justify spending that kind of money when there are always other necessities that need our money more.

A couple of weeks ago I was searching Craigslist for a captains bed for Kyle and came across an ad "Arhaus Iron Bed Cheap-Moving, Must Sell". I clicked on the ad and there it was. My Arhaus iron bed. Cheap. They were selling it as a set with the mattress and box spring. I called the woman, offered her even less than they were asking and told her I just wanted the frame- no mattress and springs. She accepted the offer. Then, I called Marc. We had recently sold our bed frame because we were going to do an upholstered headboard. Marc knows of my love for this bed so all he asked me was "when do I go pick it up?" I LOVE my husband! He is so good to me.

The only difference is that I always thought I had wanted the black finish on the bed and this was the antique white. Marc and I decided that we would just paint it. No problemo. When he went to pick it up he called me and said "We're not painting this- it's awesome as is." And it was! After running the idea by my ever-so-talented design consultant- LeAnn, it was agreed. No painting the bed!

It has the most amazing, antique looking paint finish on it. It truly looks like it is 100 years old. Leave it to those amazing folks at Arhaus- genius I tell ya!

Pay no attention to the stuff under the bed. I have since made a bed skirt!

This bed makes me smile every time I walk into our room now. It was worth the wait! I still can not believe I found it on Craigslist. I have never seen one on there before. And for less than a fifth of what I would have paid at the store- I got my dream bed. Thank You Craigslist. You totally rock.

Sorry for the blurry, dark pictures. I need to take more pictures during the day. ;)

Also, did you notice the ruffled duvet at the foot of the bed? I scored that for a song on eBay! It was one of those "best offer" listings. I put in an offer and got it! I was so excited. It is Pottery Barn and made from the softest linen you have ever felt!

The master bedroom redo is coming along nicely, just not as quickly as I would like. I think it's a good thing that it is taking awhile. I am following through with my plan and waiting for things I love instead of settling for the first thing I see. The room has taken a slightly different direction than what I started out with and I am happy about that. I am making it our own and not something straight from a magazine. With more Craigslist items, and some recent yard sale scores on artwork and accessories, it is just about done. All that I have left to do is paint the walls, figure out window treatments, buy new sheets (and add crochet trim to them), and pillows to fill some dreamy shams I found. I can't wait to show you pictures! For now, though, all of that is still on hold.

Bella is still sick. We have been fighting this fever for a week now. The antibiotics don't seem to be working at all. The fever will go away for a day and be back with avengance the next. I have been on "seizure watch" five days out of the last 7. Tonight included. I spoke to Bella's pediatrician today and they want to see her in the office tomorrow. They will be doing testing tomorrow to try and figure out what is going on with Bella.

I ended up at my doctor's office last Saturday with a diagnosis of a virus, sinus infection and pneumonia. I knew it was coming. I had been feeling under the weather but brushed it off because Bella was so sick. It finally caught up with me and knocked me down. I am beyond exhausted and ready to lose my mind trying to figure out this wacky fever of Bella's. I have to give Bella Tylenol or Motrin every three hours to try and keep the fever down. The lack of sleep has really taken it's toll. Not that I would sleep anyways. I am worried sick about her. Tonight when I tucked her in she said her prayer: "Dear God, pwease make my feber go away so I can go to the pwayground. Amen."

Sigh.

I pray we get answers tomorrow.

Thank You all for your prayers, thoughts and concerns for Bella. They mean so much to us.

Blessings,

Heather:)