Have you ever found that perfect “something” for your home? You really, REALLY wanted it until you began to feel like maybe you wanted it too much? Have you ever questioned whether your desire for things was out of balance with what is really important in life?

I left you hanging earlier this week with my post about being on the verge of something exciting thanks to my husband’s desire to make me happy.

My blog friend Sherry at No Minimalist Here, has recently downsized and has been having a virtual garage sale of items from her own home. THIS painting became the object of my desire! I have always loved this painting on the header of Sherry’s blog. The colors are so soothing and, in fact, as mentioned in a previous post, Sherry’s blog header was the color inspiration for my living room.

When I saw that this painting was up for sale I immediately began to yearn for it. I drooled, I swooned, I nearly fainted over it. Okay, so I’m exaggerating, but I had a strong desire to purchase this painting for my “work in process” dining room. The problem is that Sherry lives in Florida and I live in South Carolina (an 8 hour drive) and shipping would be too expensive. After obsessing on this painting for awhile I began to reevaluate my painting lust, especially as I began to think about all that I have and weighed that against what is really important in life. I felt convicted and decided that I needed to give it up. I prayed. I thanked God and I closed that door.

“When are we going to take our road trip?,” hubby asked one morning last week.

“Whaaaa?”

“I think we should head out Monday morning.”

Lesson learned: Sometimes you have to give something up before it can become yours.

So here I am with Sherry, Superstar Blogger at No Minimalist Here!

Forgive me if I gush but Sherry’s blog is one of the first blogs I followed and you can’t believe how excited this (then) newbie blogger was when she followed me back! That was in the days when I reported every follow to my patient husband and tolerant daughters until it got to the point where they thought I had gone “blog crazy”.

I adore Sherry’s style and her blog is a never ending source of inspiration. I never dreamed that I’d have the opportunity to meet her and even be invited into her home. I had to restrain myself from prattling on and on about every little thing I saw as she gave us the tour (not so sure I did very well with that). The funny thing to me was, that my husband also gushed over Sherry’s home. He even took my camera from me and started taking pictures!

This is one of Sherry and I standing in front of her Trumeau mirror flanked by the sea fans that she dyes herself.

Here we are in Sherry’s dining room with the painting behind us. The history of this canvas is that it is a 19th century painting that originally hung in Jamestown Plantation in Virginia. What a beautiful conversation piece it will be in my dining room. I wonder what the story will sound like? Will I talk about it’s historic roots or will I talk more about meeting the beautiful and gracious Sherry and the story behind how the picture came to belong to me? History runs deep.

So guess what I’ve been plugging away at (with 1-1/2 hands) since we got back from our whirlwind trip to Florida? Preparing my dining room for new wallpaper.

The room had two layers of wallpaper. The first one came off easily. The second had been applied directly to the sheet rock without proper preparation (sizing), and when I began to remove it it took the top layer of the sheet rock right off. That was several months ago and it has lived that way until now.

Without renewed motivation this past couple of days I sanded away the torn paper . . .

. . . and applied a skim coat of joint compound. After it dried I used a sanding block to knock down the rough surfaces, wiped off the dust with a damp rag and left it to air dry.

My next step will be to roll on a primer that is specially formulated for wallpaper. I’m pushing through tonight because I have company coming from Washington State this upcoming week and may not get back to it for awhile. Hmmm . . . unless I can get my company to assist in the wallpapering. 3- 1/2 hands are always better than 1- 1/2 hands.

On the way home from Florida Mr. OTN said to me, “You know we did this because I love you right?”

I knew.

Blessings,