Progress Not Perfection!

  (Lemons on my tree in the back yard!)

Wow!  So much as been going on this weekend, I just don't know where to start!  For the last 5 days I have been feverishly working around the house, cleaning out closets, reorganizing AND buying new furniture!

I really wanted to wait until I had the most perfect pictures to show you.  I wanted to wait until all of my pillows have been made, accessories placed and paint colors chosen.  Then reality set in....if I did that I might never post on my blog again! Plus, who wants to wait for perfection, that is boring!

So I'm going to show you my work in progress, my masterpiece in the making if you will!

I'll start with the living room, mostly because that is what I have taken pictures of so far!

Here is a before picture:

 Side Note:  This picture was taken after we had just removed my window treatments that had been there for almost 6 years.  For some reason I can't find the picture of them, but all you need to know is that they were hideous.  You can see the valence that was still up...just imagine those valences with panels on either side of each window.  Yep, 6 panels of hideous, depressing floral fabric.  For real, they were bad.  Even when I picked them out, even Foxy Roxy didn't like them but I didn't listen!  (don't know who Foxy Roxy is? Click HERE and HERE).  I swore they would give me that Italian/French Country theme I was after.  I was wrong.

Here is the most recent picture of my work in progress:

 New window treatments, new wall unit/entertainment center, a few new pillows with more on the way.


Ughhhh...it is still so hard to show these pictures because I just feel like it is not perfect.  But I'm working on that...the not being perfect thing.  Let's just say it together, "Progress Not Perfection!"


I have been big plans for this room.  More fabric, more color, more everything!  But right now I am most excited about the new piece of furniture. See it?

This is my dream piece of furniture for this room. For the last 6 years I have wanted a piece just like this...real wood, large enough to fill the entire wall, shelves to display thing-a-ma-jigs and watcha-ma-calits! But we've never had the money to just go out and buy exactly what I wanted. (anyone feel me on that?)



But now, through the help of Craigs List (I'm a bit addicted) and my new found passion for couponing, I was able to pull it off!  I found this whole unit online at craigslist for only $300.  Can you believe it?

And, I paid for the piece of furniture with just a portion of the money that I have saved with couponing!  (Ummm..note to self.  Put couponing on the list of topics to write about!)


Ok, back to my living room.  I think I'm really finding my calling in life!  Some people are artists, cooks, athletes but me?...I'm a great delegator.  I'm in my element when I can just bark orders and manage from a distance...haha! (no but really, the Mission House project?  Mostly all delegating!)

But back to the living room.  This is Chip and his friend Damian.  They worked for several hours for me, moving pieces of large furniture. 

Here they are again!  Moving a dresser from the dining room to my master bedroom closet.  Can you tell Chip is super excited about his opportunity to joyfully serve his wife around the house!


And here is the best part!

This is what I got to do....sit on the couch with my favorite pooch and give direction  to the boys!  Ughhh...it was such a fun day!


I've got to run now, I think I hear Chip calling me to help him slather icy hot on his back!  I can't figure out why his back hurts? ha ha!

But one more thing, I always like to kinda re-cap what I have gotten accomplished and what my next step is!  

Here is my "Progress Not Perfection" List for my Living Room

Find and Purchase New Armoire  
Sell the old entertainment center on Craigs List
Go to Calico Corners to look for some new colorful fabric I'm thinking blue, it is making me happy these days!)
Get rid of ugly old person window treatments
Paint New Armoire
Accesorize new armoire.
Purchase gift cards to Starbucks for my hired help (aka my husband!) 
What's next on your list of Progress Not Perfection?