No Bathroom is Complete without a Valance and some Drapes

Now that I have covered every window in my house, I kindly informed my mother that she needed window treatments as well. She's lived in the house she and my dad built for over 10 years, and they've given every indication they'll never move, so to me it's worth the investment of some drapes. Mind you, I'm not the one "investing," but my labor and 2 cents are free and I haven't pulled out my Bernina in over two weeks...and she's gettin' lonely!

So after going to the fabric store and picking out about 10 fabric samples, I drove them out to my parents' house and held them up against the wall. I recommend always(!) doing this, because even though you think you remember what shade of yellow that guest bedroom is, it's usually a bit off and fabrics are weird about not wanting to match, even though you try to convince them they're destiny is to be cut up, pinned, needled, ironed and hung for the rest of their existence in your bedroom. What fabric could resist such sweet talk?? So I made the 30 minute drive with 3 "for sure" fabrics that I'd already picked for each room. I made my sister hold them up against the wall so I could take a "step back" and soak it in. To my utter shock, almost none of them worked! I then had my mother hold them just in case it was my sister making the master bedroom's tan walls a little too peachy, but alas, I am back to the drawing board and am going back for more samples.

However, this is your golden nugget for the day.... "If you are going to spend them money and the time sewing (because it's surprisingly not cheap), you don't just need to like it, you need to LOVE it!"

That is my rule. Otherwise, the $100 bucks you spend making 9 inch drape panels is for naught, and you'd be better off saving it....wait, that's not my rule...you'd be better off going to Hobby Lobby.

On a positive note, the 30 minute jihad to the country was not entirely for naught. I realized one of the fabrics I'd chosen, while not right for the guest bedroom, was simply made for the bathroom. To give you an idea of what I am planning on, here are some pictures of drapes (with trim, of course!) and a valance I made for my guest bathroom. Please excuse the pink tile, but by the time I can afford to replace it I plan on moving! :)