Bits and ends...

Well it has been far more than a while.  I have worked on so many things, but I want to share with you a lesson I learned.  I always tell people that the reason they should be thankful that we measure, manufacture, and install is so that if there is a mistake we know we made it.  There can never be an argument about whose at fault if we did every step of the process...but then I decided to install my own drapes.  In the last ten years I cannot tell you how many installs I have been at.  And more than that I don't just stand there, if I can help out I do...but this, this was not what I was expecting:

My wife was out of town with our son, and I thought I would surprise her with finally putting up window treatments in our room.  Yes, I know we have lived here for about seven years...  I acquired some beautiful french pleated silk drapes (lined and interlined) from good old G Street Fabrics, cleared some space and went to work.
 

Before

Above is the window in our bedroom.  And yes, I know one of the roller shades is backwards (boy is this turning into an embarrassing post).  Should be simple, take down the shades, put up a traverse rod, hang and dress drapes.

After

 Looks simple, huh?  This is THREE HOURS LATER!  Three hours and eight holes in the wall later.  If at any point one of our installers had happened to wander by this sucker would have been up and perfect in fifteen minutes, maybe twenty.  Take it from an insider, just let them do it.

French Pleats.

And for those of you who have asked (more than one in the last few days), the above picture is a close up of French pleats.  Feel free to click this picture (or any of my pictures) for a better look.

BONUS:  Here is a little something extra for taking so long.  These are two pictures of chairs that I have reupholstered for a client in McLean.

Microfiber Velvet

Zoom in, and check out the dots.