How is it possible that we are this far and this far behind? Officially on week 6 of the One Room Challenge™! I'm honestly horrified about where we are at. But it will be fine. It’s always fine. And if it isn’t fine, then we will just post pictures of me laying on the new fur rug Titanic-style with Goldzilla and my lamp collection. That’s quite the visual…

In happier news, Gary has the parlor mostly sanded and then it just needs to be primed and painted. That’s all.

We've ordered four (yes, four) pairs of curtains to try out in the space so those should be here early next week.

I'm attempting to make lamp shades this week and a few other crafty/artsy fun projects. This could be horrifying or entertaining. Probably both.

We are still debating gold leafing one wall. We haven't officially decided which mirror we are going to be using. These beautiful photos in the gallery to the right will show you what we are thinking. One is a glorious American Federal convex mirror from New Generations of Harmony (the most fabulous antique store that nobody knows about) that I purchased during their half-off sale after wanting it for two years. The other mirror is more traditional and was the first thing we bought at our first auction when we moved to Iowa. I LOVE it but it may too big for the space. Going to try both options out.

We haven’t figured out which art is going in the space either so I've been working on an art plan.

Not art-related but LOOK at this incredible lamp I got for $3. I’m in love.

THE ARTWORK PLAN

This is always fun to do. We actually have an entire room that is full of art right now since we hoard artwork and we only have two rooms done with ZERO (yes, you read that correctly) pieces of art actually hung so the parlor will be the first room with anything on the walls. Mapping out where the windows and furniture will be really helps me visualize what art and what sizes will work best on the walls. Art inspires me and is the MOST important part of any room (after lighting)!

If you look at the below gallery of art, you will notice that there is ZERO cohesion other than I like what I like and that makes the least cohesive art collection of all time.

Possibilities include:

Gorgeous pair of German paintings from an estate sale. They are huge but very “haunted glamour” which is kind of the epitome of Gaye Gardens.
This amazing 1950s gilt tole hydrangea wall lamp that someone got their shabby chic’d on so I’m currently stripping layers of paint and re-gold leafing this poor thing. There’s a special place in hell for people who shabby chic vintage gold leaf. (The spray paint layer and the gold layer are off. I’m down to the red primer which is why it looks red in the picture.)
A fab glow-in-the-dark ‘Woman in The Mirror” that my mom got me for Christmas. It’s so dreamy!
A vintage Syroco “Diana Goddess of the Hunt” that I searched for relentlessly after seeing it in my dear friend Nicole’s mother’s house (is that a sentence?) and finally found on eBay for next to nothing.
A glorious Day of the Dead wedding painting that is made out of popsicle sticks. My nephew dug it out of a dumpster for me.
A beautiful little painting of a garden from a junk lot we bought. 😍
These ridiculously fabulous Mother of Pearl panels that I bid on at a golf tournament luncheon I had to emcee even though I don’t understand golf.
And my newly acquired painting which I thought was a nun (I’m obsessed with nuns) but my wonderful friend Therese told me it is actually Saint Therese which makes it even cooler!

I love all of these pieces but we will have to narrow it down and see what actually works in the space.

I know this looks collection looks like Graceland and the restroom at Grauman's Chinese Theatre had a really glamorous baby and that is exactly what I was going for!

OTHER FUN UPDATES

GOLDZILLA is completed. This was by far the hardest gold leaf project (out of the entire three that I’ve done) so far because of his skin. You have to smush the gold leaf into all of the creases. It took a ton of time and gold leaf but totally worth it. Look at that face. Look at that popsicle. Look at his cute little heart!

I think it is important to have weird things for people to look at. Then if you have to invite someone boring over you can be all “Do you want to see my Goldzilla?” and then maybe they also like weird things and then you have a new friend instead of a boring person. Or they just look at you like you are crazy and then they know not to come back. Either way.

Okay, everyone cross your fingers that we get some stuff done this week. I need the rest of my fringe to show up. I need one pair of the curtains we ordered to not be hideous. And I need some sleep.

Make sure you visit oneroomchallenge.com and look at these amazing rooms that people are doing. There’s so much inspiration and fun going on.

Thanks so much for following along!