Monday, October 12, 2009

High Maintenance Home Decor



It's no secret that I suffer from a rather serious and chronic couch disorder.
I've dragged my entire marriage and family through this drama with me- currently, we are enjoying couches #9 and #10 in a long line of second hand seating arrangements.
They usually start out looking not too bad.

Especially in their original, second hand context.
When your choices are flanked on one side by the awesome swag lamp, and an LP record of the Goertzen Family Singers on the other.... Well... You'll be amazed at what couches look amazingly appealing.
The first couple of years months days with the new-to-you couch seem to go well. Then the crush of the daycare, the children, the pets, and the elements begin to wear on the ancient piece of upholstery. Time to throw a blanket over it. Go for the layered look while the inner springs work their way towards the outside.
Try your hand at some reupholstery.

Seems to work. No one's complaining.
But nothing lasts forever, and there comes a time when all these efforts and good intentions come to an end. If you sit down and find yourself undergoing a wire colostomy when you thought you were just plunking down to watch "The Office"... Well.. take that as a sign that it's time for that drive.
Even when it means convincing your body-builder/tae-bo instructing sister to help you hook a trailer to a van when you don't even know how to drive it in reverse just so you can make an urgent trip to the dump.
Yup. Looks like this place is missing something.
Doesn't look homey.
Or comfy.

That's better....
(context can be everything.....)
sherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. You could go to one of those fancy furniture stores and get one of them couches that don't need replacing every couple of months.
But where's the fun in that?

11 comments:

Karla said...

This made my day complete.

Judy said...

Oh come on Joyce.

You could have gotten at least ONE MORE day out of that lovely couch.

christine said...

LOVE IT
check that accomplishment (pic of yourself on couch, in dump) off your "things i want to do before i turn 90"....list.

Anonymous said...

ahh... one of the many reasons I adore you. You take a camera to the dump.
what a mind what a mind, what a mighty fine mind.
B.B.

Roo said...

i hear ya on the last statement...my dear couch has been at the mercy of my creative efforts....some have turned out cute (at least for the first 5 minutes) and the rest have been ...interesting. ever tried to get hot glue off couch fabric before? i think its there for keeps.

Rosa said...

O.K. was that a slam on the Goertzen family singers? Cause it sounded like a slam!!!!

joyce said...

you should google that: "How to get hot glue gun stains off my couch"-- just to see if you get any hits...

yes Rosa. It was.

As for the rest of you-- I bet you all have this stuff on your bucket list as well. Like sitting on a davenport at the dump.

That's mighty fine and lofty livin'.

(truth is, I was kind of hoping to score on some awesome old dressers or mirrors or something at the dump. Looks like around here; all that gets thrown out is stinky diapers (got those), old shingles, and busted up concrete.

darn.

Rosa said...

Joyce what a great surprise Chickens in my mail box. I love it.

Linda said...

That is a great picture. How did you get away with it? I find that the garbage dump men watch me like hawks and I can't take anything from there or take any pictures.

Anonymous said...

Dear Joyce I had to think of you as I loaded up a lovely loveseat FROM the dump and am now finding just the right spot for it in the livingroom... Happy treasure hunting Saturday to you.
Love Patti

joyce said...

FROM the dump? ooooh. I envy.