There's a fine line between boredom and chaos...

It's been a few years since I've done a show house for Historic Ellicott City but I'm doing it again this year. I've done five of them before but this is the first time I'm doing it under my name alone. Of course my dear, sweet friends from The Pink Cabbage are helping me out but, at the end of the day, it's gonna have my name on it. Wow, stress! But the good kind. The deal on the show house is that a different designer decorates a single room in the house. The funds that are made from the show house go to help keep historic structures in Howard County, Maryland intact plus there are scholarships and other benevolent deeds that come from the money. Just a couple of months ago I was feeling pretty bad about myself. I felt like my only worth was cooking, doing laundry, and getting a teenager where he needed to go. I felt I had no life or purpose for myself or in the world. Hence the title quote. I prayed and prayed for God to lead me to some purpose. Up popped this show house opportunity then, as I said in my last post, came the ministries. In between have been trips to Texas and NYC. I also have another personal project I'm working on but that's confidential-sorry, don't mean to be a tease-it's to protect other people. Anyway, I have plenty to do and fill my days with-yay!

Here's the room as I first found it. It's called the Governess Quarters. I loved the blue and white toile wallpaper right away. This house has not been decorated since it was last a show house, 18 year ago, so it's dated. I think this was the nursery; the toile print is one of children but I was ready to work my magic with it. The only issue was there was damage on the wallpaper near the window. I asked that if I did a wall of curtains to hide the damage on that wall could I keep the paper and it was thumbs up yes. The deadlines on these deals are a short in the beginning; the design board is due ONE week after being accepted as designer. So I went out running around like a chicken with no head or legs getting things for this room to be approved for the design. 

You can probably tell but the photo above of me and the head of the design committee, Carroll (we have worked together a lot and get along very well), that he was happy with what I'd put together.

Then came the day right before I left for Texas, a call from the show house chairwoman telling me that the workers in the house had accidentally removed the wallpaper from my room. Ugh. I thought I was done, thought it was over. I was already stressed and tired (not to mention I had already spent money on things for the blue design) from getting all the things in line to go with the wallpaper. I called my wonderful cohorts, Jody and Karen, and they talked me off the ledge. And, of course after I had time to think about it, it was beginning to look like a bit of a blessing. HEC was willing to work with me to help me out with painting the walls any color that I wanted and they approved of. The world actually became my decorating oyster. I'd always wanted to decorate a pink room so here was my chance. Yes indeed, a blessing in disguise. What is that saying I've heard so much lately? When life throws you a curve yell out "plot twist"!!!

Plot twist! Here's a sneak peek at what I've got in mind for the room. I'm very excited. I start painting tomorrow. I have to finish early because I'm meeting my mama, who lives in Oregon, in Texas for the first Texas A&M (where I was born and raised) football game I've been to in over 2o years. I will have a couple of days after I get back to do the finishing touches but I need to have most of it done before I leave. Then when I return from Texas I'll be working in the sales office at the show house. Bored-no, not even any time soon. Thank you God.