And We're Off... barely

 Well, our master bedroom revamp is starting off with a whimper. This wallpaper is hanging on tooth and nail.

This is mostly my husband's project (my phase one project is painting the trim... oh yes and creating mood boards). This is the last of the wallpaper to go, so we can breath a sigh of relief once it's gone. Don't know how many weekends from now that will be, though. It's been scored with one of these, soaked with hot water and Chomp, peeled, soaked (again) and peeled (again). That first layer of paper (the patterned layer vs. the backing) is very stubborn.

Here you can see that once fashionable wallpaper. Aww, I get a little teary eyed when I think about the homeowners who must have been all excited about choosing it way back when. Not sure what decade this went up, but it's been there long enough to have faded spots where mirrors or art used to hang.

We haven't gotten much farther than what you see above.

As for my window trim project, well that's taking longer than I'd hoped it would, too. The trim was in really bad shape on this one window. The window on the left is complete (almost complete), so you can sort of see the difference between our new pure white trim and the yellowy stuff on the right.

This  fabric was a score at Hancock Fabrics. I found six yards of it in the $5 a yard remnant pile. When do you ever find that many yards of something you like in a remnant pile? I've pretty much given up on the remnants table at Joan. Although, I do find some seriously good deals when Calico does their sale. But never six yards of anything. 

So now, I have enough fabric for three Roman shades and most likely a little left over for some pillows, or maybe even a headboard. My mood board has a white headboard, but I think as long as the fabrics match or suit each other, it won't look too busy if I cover it with a pattern.

 There's a little peek of the rug. It was the first thing I bought when we moved here last year. I thought it would stay in the living room, but turns out it looked way too small in there.

Now for my thrift store find. Actually, the mirror is from a consignment shop called Chattel Changers in Shorewood. I thought it was kind of fun, and at $21, cheaper than anything I'm likely to find at the chain stores around here. And $852 cheaper than the similar mirror in my mood board! How's that for a bargain?

In the car on the way home, I flipped over the mirror and noticed this sticker (don't worry, I wasn't driving). I did a little internet searching here and here and found out that Turner Mfg. Co. was a producer of mid-century "dime store" wall accessories. The accessories were mass-produced and are not worth much, so I won't be heading to Antiques Roadshow with this bad boy, but that's OK. At least I won't feel guilty if I decide to paint it.

And now for the proof that we needed a dresser. These plastic bins were fine in our Tokyo closets, but they don't quite work in our new environment.

Sayonara, yucky old window coverings. So glad to see these making their way out of our house. They were ripped, stained and didn't even roll up. And to think they called themselves roller blinds!

OK, so here's a peek at the dresser. After a really long time trying to put this thing together, I realized that I had the top piece facing the wrong way. See that unfinished chipboard stuff? Not that I have to point it out, it's pretty obvious.

I'd already nailed in the back panel before I stood up the dresser and noticed my mistake. I would've likely ripped it all up getting the nails out to take the thing apart. Not to mention, I didn't feel like wasting three plus hours of my life taking apart and putting this thing back together.

So, I'm going to buy some iron on banding like this and stain it ebony with leftover Minwax. Then I will never, ever buy another put-it-together-yourself piece of furniture again.

Unless it's from Ikea. Ikea knows how to keep it simple.