LYSMICETY!

 Rarely do my redecorative adventures have an ultimate goal.  They mostly evolve.  I can start out with specific plans only to scrap them to do what the project leads me to do. It is a most spontaneous form of decorating not exactly fit for most people.  I remember years ago, buying flooring for a kitchen and telling Hubby that most definitely I wanted something completely plain, white and utilitarian.  I wanted a plain backdrop for my kitchen needs.  I told the salesman that as he greeted us at the door.  I was specific and determined and he set out to show me all the plain, white linoleum that he had.  While perusing his stock, I noticed, across the room, a most interesting floor displayed.  Full of my favorite colors and properly early 80's stencil look that I loved, I drifted over to it and pictured it in my small kitchen.  By the time Hubby and Perplexed Salesman came over to where I stood, I had decided.  I told them both very decidedly, 'This is It.'  Hubby, knowing  my propensity for my mercurial decorating tendencies, merely smiled and said, 'Sure?' And with an enthusiastic nod of the head, it was a done deal.  Poor Flooring Salesman.  That floor served many a trod foot for over 17 years....

 That said, my family, particularly Hubby, has come to accept my Crazy Decorating Ways.  He understands my need to draw on my walls.  My need to flail color wildly and to hang things that most people would throw away.  I have the oak trim from the inside of my long ago upright piano utilized to separate places in my kitchen from the dining room.  See?  Just oddly interesting.....

 When I set out to update my upstairs bathroom this past week, I had no goal, only color determination.  The whole time I was painting over my antiquated sponge painting from 2000, I kept waiting for the room to speak to me.  Nuttin.  Paint, paint.  Think, think, think......

 As often happens when I paint and redo, my thoughts drifted to the purpose of my actions.  I picture the guests that will enjoy the view.  I think of their entertainment and pleasure in the sharing of my space. The upstairs bathroom seldom sees the traffic that the downstairs rooms sees.  I wrapped my mind around that thought and saw that usually the closest and personal spend time in our upstairs area.  Usually, this up close and personal are our own children and their children.  This led me to reflect on each one of them and the joy that I receive from knowing them.


Years ago, and the following will be debated until the grave, our children would come into our bedroom to wish us good night.  This would stem from me nursing the youngest in bed while the olders got themselves ready for nighty nite.  Rumor has it that one or the other of my two eldest, and I have no distinct memory of the initial onset, but as we departed for the nightly separation, the children would kiss and hug us and tell us, 'Love You So Much I Can't Even Tell You'.  What a great night time greeting.  It warmed my heart every single time.  The thought that his/her love for me/us was inexpressible was so dear to this mama.

 The tag line, LYSMICETY, soon became our sign off in cards and correspondence.  Email was developed and that too was the choice for signature.  To this day, this continues; our own family slogan.  It was this thought that came to me while painting in the upstairs room that is usually reserved for our children and our near and dear.  I knew I wanted to make a reminder to those that were in the room, and while I had their, ahem, full attention, I wanted them to once again remember, that I 'Love Them So Much That I Can't Even Tell You....

 As is my usual beginning to projects like this, my first thought was, 'What do I have on hand?'  What is the right texture, right color, right representation of this room and it's new style?  After just finishing the library a few weeks before, I knew that one thing that I had lots of was photo frames.  I had removed all the outdated photos and stored away the frames waiting for more current pictures.  I thought about the fact that most of my work involves around fabric and needlework so I knew that the letters had to be cloth and pearl cotton for the best visual effect.

 I gathered the frames and sorted them by size, knowing I wanted a rather eclectic grouping.  Felt was the preferred backing; sturdy and solid to back the letters that I would design from color appealing fabric.

 No templates, just free hand letter cut outs, something I have done with construction paper since I was little.  I purposely wanted it simple and primitive, almost child like in it's presentation.  No hemming of the fabric- just a stitching on the machine close to the edge.  An outline stitch with pearl cotton since it is thicker than embroidery floss....

 And before the end of the evening, I had wall art that represented my family, my craft and my colors...Things that my family will recognize as a gift to them each time they use the bathroom!  And isn't that where all great thinking occurs??!

Love You So Much I Can't Even Tell You....