ORC 4: Eeeek week

The absolute best thing about participating in an on-line challenge is the wonderful folks who are doing it with you. Thank you all so much for your comments and encouragement. It helps.

I am working on transforming my Mom's bedroom in six weeks as a linking participant in the One Room Challenge hosted by Linda of Calling It Home. On Wednesdays you can catch the progress of the invited professionals and on Thursdays, the insane party crashers like me.

In week one, I was bad and showed you Mom's day exactly as it was the day I photographed it (without warning her first!) In week two, I introduced our crew and talked about how we took down her closet. In week three, I showed you the fabric we purchased and some DIYs I'd planned.

Now, it's week four. All I can say is that I've been grumpy all week--and just like everyone else, I'm sure, I'm starting to panic.

It started with a disturbing call at work from my mother. "Can you put colour into that textured ceiling stuff? she asked me.

You have to know, I hate that textured ceiling stuff. (Probably better known as the ubiquitous "popcorn ceiling.") Whenever I get the chance, I encourage people to bring it down. So, putting it up was not going to be an option. Ever. (Oh and the answer to my Mom's question is, no, you can't. Not really. There's no way to get the lid off to tint it in such a way as to get the lid back on to shake it properly. I imagine that's for a reason.)

So, on Sunday, half of my crew (ahem, my husband) went to Mom's and sanded the ceiling for her.

By now, we're supposed to have finished painting and be working on the baseboards. Apparently, two walls and the window trim have been painted. One wall is still being sanded--I'm not sure what's happening with the remaining wall. The ceiling has yet to be done. And the baseboards? I haven't even bought them yet.

I have, however, been working on the rast nightstands.

I'm also in the process of turning a coffee table from goodwill into a bench.

Mom and I took an inventory of all the mirrors she has. We discovered she has 19 all told--and we managed to find two the exact same size--and miracle of miracles, they'll work for us. I just have to figure out how best to frame them. I'd considered making Jenny Komenda's amazing sea urchin mirror, but I think it will be too busy for what we want.

Here's where we stand with the punch list (all items completed in pink):


The Bones of the Room:

--Remove closet (done, week 2)
--patch and spackle holes (done)
--Patch, tape and mud drywall. (done) Sand.
--Align junction boxes in ceiling to be equidistant from back and side walls (done)
--Move switches (done)

--Design, buy, prime and install baseboard moulding

--Wash walls, ceiling, and trim (Mom)

--Paint walls, ceiling, and trim (Mom)

Pendant Lights
--buy (done)
--install

Hard Furnishings.

Headboard --DIY
--buy plywood, cut it (done)
--cut frame pieces for outline
--cut legs
--attach frame pieces and legs
--buy foam, (done) cut it, attach it.
--buy batting (done)
--buy top fabric (done)
--assemble foam, batting, and either muslin or front fabric and staple to the headboard
--find, borrow or buy electric stapler and staples (done)
--find, buy (done) and apply nailhead trim
--cover legs
--attach legs to bedframe


Nightstands:
--buy Ikea Rasts (done)
--prime pieces to be painted (drawers mostly) (done)
--paint drawers and pieces (done)
--find or buy stain for sides. Mom found some English Chestnut in her basement and I found some in mine. English Chestnut, it is!

managed to get a bit done before the rain came

--stain sides (1/2 done)
--assemble
--spray paint handles (in progress)
--attach handles

a shoe box repurposed as an impromptu spray paint booth.

Mirrors:
(behind nightstands)
--Inventory what Mom already has, find two that will work (done)
--research and decide what we're doing to frame them (done)
--construct frames


Bench:
--find legs
--find boards
--attach
--distres
--or buy something and remake it. (in progress)

Soft Furnishings (Mom's department)

--buy fabric (done)

All DIY
--Drapes
--Shams
--Queen sized pillow cases
--Decorative Pillows
     one 18x18)
     one "neck" pillow
--Bed throw DIY or buy Ofelia from Ikea (done)


Other projects:

Find or buy curtain rod and rings.
Install curtain rod.


Rug
--find and purchase the shaggiest rug we can find. At least 5x7. (done)

Mom and I both are quite worried that the undertones of this rug aretoo yellow and will clash with all the pink we've got going on. That fabric draped on top represents the drapes.

If the pendant lights don't work:

Mercury glass lamps --DIY
--buy lamps (done)
--buy looking glass mirror spray paint (Krylon). I have not been able to source it anywhere. I have tried Home Depot, Rona, Walmart and Canadian Tire and looked on-line at Lowe's.

(The pendant lights will have to work! That's all there is to it.)


Unfortunately, with only two weeks left to go, the to do list is still longer than the ta da list.

Makes me very grumpy.

And I just saw the weather forecast: rain until Sunday. I still have quite a bit of work to do on the headboard--and I need to do it outside.

eeek.