The Mechanic with No Car

To buy something and have it mock me with its pre-made, not quite what i wanted but i have no choice but to take it and zip it design or create what i love.....what i want...myself.....that is the question...(or should the question really be, "When can i fit this in?")

If you know me, and you do,  you are saying this in unison right now.......Shae??...buy?? uh no, DIY.

Ok, so I have been designing our house since we moved in 3+ years ago. It's still not finished. What is finished however are my work projects, my masters', spring cleaning, our menu for the week, and occasionally...only when its absolutely neccessary....laundry....(Folding only. Putting it away is an entirely different and ongoing story.)

Hmm, do i see a trend?

This industry is addictingly contagious. (Yes, i meant and typed, addictingly contagious, don't you speak Shae yet?)

Yes,  they have beautiful things in stores. Yes, i have access to private selections not for public purchase but you forget the one unspoken cardinal rule of the design/architecture industry....It's just not the same if you don't design/make it yourself..........period.

The mind and the intent are there but somehow our house sits...waiting and wanting to be a completed design.

Don't get me wrong. We have definitely done a ton of hot list items. We moved into a stuck in the 70's peach box right on down to the gold painted outlet covers. (yep, 'fraid so.. not even gold plated but gold ...painted..outlet...covers.) and by now the cabinets have been refinished, walls painted, a new fence installed in the backyard, trees planted, hydrangeas growing, and so on and so on. Now i know i'm not reinventing the wheel when i say this but "owning a home is exhausting."

It's not that i have designers block or anything. i've got a few ideas for some of the areas.

Here are two ideas for the living room:

and the Master bedroom:

but then of course i still want to get the floors done, counters replaced, backsplash tiled, fixtures changed, and did i mention the farmer's sink in the kitchen?...i want one.

Now if i did NOTHING after work, then i'm sure the house design would begin to resolve itself but do I do nothing??.... uh no surely not....I am also attempting to study for my license exams, trying to find creative ways to keep my lawn/flowers from evaporating in this God Forsaken Heat, and planning hunters 3rd birthday. The stores of course have PLENTY to choose from for a birthday but there are none that i just LOVE and know very well what i can do myself so what must i do...WELL OF COURSE Design and Create it. See for yourself his 2nd birthday.....

Mmmmm Hhhmmmm and first was similar only a circus theme.....

I'm thinking a Superhero red and blue theme this year with capes...Guess now i gotta learn how to sew...See what i mean! and the worst part is.... I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY CUSTOM DESIGNED, STAY UP ALL NIGHT TO FINISH, CUT MY FINGER, PAINT IN MY HAIR, STAINED MY CLOTHES, PUT MY THANG ON EVERYTHING I DO, CUSTOM DESIGN.

It's a sick disease i tell ya. It even goes right on down to the grocery list..uh huh you read it, ...not even the family grocery list on its plain 'ol white, mocking me piece of paper that's just gonna get folded, wrinkled, and coffee dripped on as I balance it in one hand and keep hunter from nose diving off the cart in the other while i dig in the diaper bag for wipes and find a phone thats ringing, is safe.

told ya.


I am in the process of designing coordinating recipe cards.


Mmm hmmm i know, i know. (Your dealing with a very sick woman here.)

The more and more I type and see a growing list of Design ADD items, the more and more I am fearful for our house and must stop typing before i decide it all has to be finished tonight. I find all the time in the world for everything else i want to do except the few things i need to do.

The facts all point to this. I am now like the mechanic with no car.

P.S.
Fingers crossed i get to some of these rooms one day soon! (before house #2 comes along) or before i decide to take an autobody class.

P.S.S.
I'm sure they have anonymous classes for us Do It Yourself ADD's out there. Heck, forget looking, let's just get together and start one of our own......just kidding