Monday, February 9, 2009

Land of the Misfit Toys

"A single idea can transform a life, a business, a nation, a world."
Dan Zadra

I love this quote. Well this weekend a single idea didn't quite transform the world but it did transform my upstairs hallway. Let me lay this out. I have done nothing to the hallway. I've tried things here and there but nothing as ever really come of it. There is a really nice set of pictures hung up on one wall. Just hanging there though. I hung them a long time ago and then I lost interest. The waxing and waning of my ADD. So a couple days ago Saige wanted to move her bed against the wall. We had to move a little night table out of the way. I stuck it in the hallway right under those pictures. Now it was way to small but it suddenly occured to me, "Why don't I have a table under there?" The wheels started spinning. Before I knew it I was dragging things from all over my house. I had the can of paint out that my office is painted in. It became a full fledged project.

Yesterday on the most gorgeous day of the year I was inside painting and arranging. I painted and then repainted the cabinet the angel is sitting on. It has been around forever and been more colors and designs than you can imagine. Now it's just black, with some turquoise shelves. Today my friend Ashley (who just moved home after 13 years) came over. She saw my project underway and jumped right in. This is one of her very favorite things to do. I wish I had "before" pictures, but all you have to do is imagine cream walls. Just cream. This is the after.

Everything in here is stuff I had that just didn't have a good home or wasn't put out. Except the angel. I love that angel. I have collected angels for as long as I can remember. For a long time I didn't even know I collected them. I just really gathered them. Anyway the angel had a very prominent home downstairs but I like her right outside our bedrooms.

Now I've moved onto the downstairs foyer. It's all getting changed. I did take a before picture of that.

10 comments:

Wep said...

It looks GORGEOUS! Wanna come over and redo my house???

Mark said...

Love it, Amy. ADD sure comes in handy sometimes, no? Out of nowhere comes an idea and a destination, and with a singular focus, before you know it, that idea becomes reality. Most people think ADD means you can't focus, which is incorrect. ADD people can block out all distraction and focus on something interesting to them. What they find intolerable is focusing on the mundane things in life. It's both a blessing and a curse, but when it works in your favor, wonderful things can happen. Also, a little known fact is that there are some estimates that put ADD in existence in about 50% of the population, which begs the question, "Who's really "normal," those with ADD or those without?" Anyway, I love to hallway; now come up here and give your attention to my apartment for a weekend. I'll supply the paint, the furniture, the decorations, and the cocktails. Love you, sis.

Sue Jacquette said...

Beautiful! Love the curtains ;) I do this all the time, I get an idea in my head and I can't do anything else but that because it's in my head. I plan it out, I make a list, I imagine it finished and then I can't not do it. Now that the bathroom is done Jason's planting the seeds of the guestroom in my head. He knows how to get things done.

Sue Jacquette said...

And I love the new header.

Anonymous said...

Amy and Sue,

Love (would also love some help) what you both (my project needs at least two) have done (Oooh, completing a project - novel idea) to your (how about my) homes. Why don't we (see, I have already roped you in) have lunch (tempting lure of spicey tuna)at my house (you will see the enormous need for projects)? Oh, what's that you say (let's start in my back hall with the goofy barnyard border from prior owners)? You would like to help (I'll supply paint brushes and boxed wine). That's great. I can't imagine where you came up with this idea.......

In advance, thanks a bunch :)
Kathy

Amy said...

I love all the invitations I am getting, so much lure of alcohol. It seems to all come down to ADD and boxed wine (insert puking noise here from my brother Mark, he'll only serve it from a bottle).
So I say YES! Yes I'll go to Weps, NYC and Kathy's. Kathy did offer spicy tuna too, I'm there. :)

Lula! said...

There isn't a thing I don't love about this. The paned mirror...the angel...the cabinet...the plates in the cabinet...the curtians (they are bohemian chic--LOVE that!), the pictures, the table...

I love it all. You are inspiring me to get off the couch and do some rearranging around here.

Unknown said...

I swear I am writing you back, it's been crazy around this house.

That angel is AWESOME!

Anonymous said...

The picture does not do it justice. So much better in person. You are in fact an artiste!

Sarah said...

Um....since you are feeling so ambitious, why don't you high tail it on over and help me..

Love ya!