No. 1
I think I sold the Mister on the wallpaper idea! He has several conditions: (i) no medicine cabinet (ii) he doesn’t do any of the work except maybe the drywall repair (iii) nothing too girly and (iv) there has to be bead board at least half way up so it isn’t all wallpaper. (I tried to convince him to paper the whole bathroom.)
I showed him a sample of wallpaper I ordered–it was free and therefore miniscule–but he really liked it (!!!) and said it would look nice. Then he suggested we get an antique mirror and “hang it from a ribbon or rope or whatever it is you do with old mirrors. I’ve seen people do it. You know what I’m talking about.”
No. 2
Yesterday I had this grand plan to work on the medicine cabinet in our master bathroom. I had this plan that involved magnetic paint and hooks and stuff and things. It was going to be great. Then, Pope! From Argentina! That was it for me. I spent several hours crying all over Twitter and Facebook, and normally when I say anything overly Catholic or overly angry or overly happy I get dropped like a hot rock. More than usual. The key to social media, I’ve discovered, is to not be too overly. Keep it vanilla, and you’ll be fine. Love life, but not too much. Complain, but not too often. It’s okay to be Catholic, but don’t be Catholic.
Well, yesterday I was Catholic and happy and straight up rocky road with extra nuts, so I thought for sure I was going to experience a mass social media exodus, but I didn’t. I didn’t because I was so excited and overwhelmed that the pleasure of watching me make a fool of myself far outweighed any annoyance the anti-overlies would have normally experienced over my Mary worshiping exuberance. I lost a few people, but most weren’t about to miss the opportunity to read these gems:
WHITE SMOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m stuck in traffic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Pope if from Argentina!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Crying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Never in all my life did I expect to see in my life a Latin American Pope from Argentina in my life time. In my life time. Life time!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, now I need to go and see if I can get something accomplished today.
@everyone I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really, can you blame them for hanging around? Eventually I settled down and went back to work on the bathroom. Except it turns out the magnetic paints needs hours between each of the three coats (oops) and a full 24 hours to cure before applying regular paint to cover (double oops).
Soooooo. Plan B?
I took pictures of the quilt Larissa and I worked on over the weekend. As you read this, I am probably over at her house working on Mikey’s quilt. All we have left to do for Nico’s quilt is to add those yarn-stringy things to keep the batting in place. There’s Nico’s astronaut picture. I forget who it is, but I can look it up.
Pretty simple–especially when you are the assistant! One wide panel of ticking and two lengths of coordinating fabric wide enough to fit a twin. No binding, but Larissa did top stitch.
Here’s Mikey’s picture–soldiers on a Navy ship on the day Japan surrendered during World War II. My military history boy.
I think the pictures side-by-side look nice. They compliment each other, but don’t mach. They look a little high to me. Mikey helped me hang them, and he did an excellent job making sure they were level and straight and even, but I could have done a better job telling him how high I wanted them. I think they could drop a couple of inches. Let’s just add stuff to the to-do list. Why the heck not?
Those pictures look awesome! How cool that you found things they are into, but not little-boyish. I don’t think they are too high, either.
Congrats on posting the photos — that’s an important step in the process. I would leave the pictures where they are — the worst stupid-injury I’ve sustained came from leaning back against my headboard while reading a book, dropping my head back against the wall to stretch, and knocking a framed print onto my face. My mom felt even worse. :)
That is such an excellent point! They’re staying where they are. Thanks!!
One more time: “LIFE TIME!”
I’m not Catholic, but as soon as I heard the news I was like, “I bet Jules is SO EXCITED. Like, all caps excited.” :)
It was embarrassing reading over my status updates last night. Hah!
I had tears in my eyes yesterday when I heard the Pope is Argentinian. I was so happy for you and the pride you must feel. Celebrate your heritage! Pax vobiscum friend.
The pictures look great, and since Mikey was your able assistant, my vote is to leave them be.
I’m not even Catholic, and I thought the announcing of a new pope was pretty cool to watch! I happened to be coming home for my lunch break, and it was all over the news. Very interested to see how a pope from this side of the globe will do things. He seemed, on first impressions, like a very nice, approachable guy – something I don’t really associate with popes nowadays.
Can’t wait to see how the medicine cabinet turns out!
And he’s a Jesuit. We’ll see.
I will have to link up tomorrow. Maybe. That’s the plan, anyway. Can’t blame it on the pope, just…not sure. The project is done, but the post isn’t. Could have stayed up late last night to get it done, but that would have almost surely meant migraine today. Stinkin’ priorities. Glad to know I’m not the only one who has to let life do what it will to my plans.
Happy you’re happy! And the boys’ room is looking great. I don’t think the photos are too high – and you have a little space in case you want to hang something small in between the headboard and the pic – a little banner to celebrate something special, a small drawing the boys made, a picture of Pope Francis!
Yes, everything looks empty right now. Of course I wasn’t going to show any of this because–hello, there are no lights, small dresser, curtains, doo-dads, plants, etc. Right now it looks like a monk’s room! :)
I can’t believe that anyone who’s read your blog and bothered to follow you on social media would then drop you because of your obvious joy. Bleh to the vanilla people.
Those prints look fantastic. Maybe a teeny bit lower, but then with rambuctious boys, it might be best to leave them higher?
Ahh sounds like my day. My husband took our son to school. I was still in my pajamas,(at 9:40 am HST) making a birthday cake and glued to the TV. The door bell rings and its the repairman coming to fix our utility door. I had to run and change, my hair sticking up like a rooster, all the while rambling that I’m not usually in my pjs at this hour BUT I’m waiting for the NEW POPE! Lucky for me he was Catholic so he understood (that’s what I line to think).
The rooms look adorable and I can’t wait to see the bathrooms!
Being excited about things is a good thing!
I love how the boys’ room is coming together. It’s nice that it’s suited to their interests and seems like something that will only need a change here or there as they grow, rather than a complete overhaul. I’m decorating a room for my soon to arrive little man and have leaned towards keeping it colorful and boy-ish without it screaming “I’m a baby’s room!” It should take him nicely through toddlerhood and maybe even well into boyhood with a few changes here and there.
I’d vote keep the prints over the bed higher too. I just hung some cross stitch made by my m-i-l years ago and reframed for my girls for Christmas. They ended up on the higher side too, but even girls can get a little too rambunctious for the safety of low hanging art.
I am so glad you are “overly!” Of course you were excited about the Pope. Did you catch that he was a Jesuit as well?
Those photos look great–and I’m afraid that if ou lower them the boys will bump them with thir heads. Not good for the pictures–or their heads! Room looks fabulous. Not too “overly,” really.
Oh you did. Just reading the comments, late. Doh.
“And he’s a Jesuit.” I think I snorted.
On another note…to really throw you into a tizzy…sometimes I wish you were more Catholic. I like experiencing how young families are going through the same things I am. =)
Are you kidding???? I pretty much never pay attention to Pope selection (sorry – maybe that’s too much truth) but I was SOOO excited about this and thought about you right away!
And hanging the antique mirror thing by Mister? L-O-V-E!
I think getting the Mister on board with wallpaper totally counts as a WM project. Huge. Your bathroom’s going to be so cute. And I’m so impressed with their quilts.
I would second this!
Love the pictures in the boys’ room. Classics!
I like the way you think, Kathryn! I think he read all the comments on the blog, honestly. You all did the heavy lifting–but I’ll take the credit! ;)
Yay for wallpaper and Argentine popes!
The room is coming together so nicely. Love the prints! Have a great weekend Jules!!
My son and I watched the whole pope thing go down live on TV when he came home from school. We were glued to the TV and I was SO excited when he chose the name Francis!!! My son (he just turned 8) made a lego pope minifig and has been playing “lego mass” this week with kneeling minifigs and such, haha.
ps – I had a rosary hanging on my bedpost just like that when I was young and I TOTALLY forgot about it until I saw your photos! thanks.
Better late than never? It was just this kind of week for me.
hang the mirror from a ribbon – how adorbs! i LOVE the photos above the boys’ beds. they are so simple but interesting. they fit their interests but don’t look cookie-cutter. well done! i have a lucha libre pic that i haven’t hung yet. months! i have to get on these smaller projects. they make such a difference.