Worst Week
Have you seen that new sitcom called Worst Week? I’ve watched it a couple of times and found it entertaining, but I always thought there’s absolutely no way someone could have that much bad luck…
…and then last week happened.
Oh sure, it started off pretty good…great, in fact. Monday morning started with a drapery installation, and I was a bit nervous because I had used a new drapery workroom (as opposed to my old drapery workroom, which was…well…ME!), and I was anxious to see how the draperies turned out. They were beautiful, and my client was thrilled!
Living room before draperies.
New draperies…what a difference!!
I love what draperies do to a room.
You see, just the week before, a friend at work had carefully and thoughtfully collected some gorgeous discontinued samples of Bella Notte fabrics. Now I don’t know if you’re familiar with this line, but the fabrics are very unique (and expensive). After carefully collecting these fabrics, she asked me if I could make them into a patchwork blanket for her to give as a Christmas gift. I was happy to help, so I had taken them home and gotten to work on the blanket immediately, and it was turning out stunningly beautiful!
However, I had gotten to the point where I needed to spread it out on the floor to pin together the batting and the backing. Since my condo is so tiny, I had placed it in a large plastic bag (a.k.a., a clean trash bag) and taken it to my mom’s house to work on. Later that day, I stopped by work and showed my friend the progress on the blanket. She was ecstatic about how it was turning out.
Now fast forward to last Monday. After the drapery installation, I stopped by JoAnn Fabrics to purchase a few items I needed to finish the blanket, and went home to work on it. I searched and searched for the plastic bag, but with no success. I searched every inch of my condo. I looked through my car. I went to my office and looked around. It was nowhere. Then a sinking feeling came over me as I remembered that over the weekend, I had gathered up three white garbage bags and sent Matt to the dumpster with them. After I realized what I had done, I hurried to the dumpster to see if it was still there. It was empty.
My heart sank as I realized that I had thrown away my friend’s blanket (along with a very nice pair of scissors and a brand new large container filled with straight pins). I felt like such an idiot, and cried for about two hours.
The next morning, things weren’t any better, as I realized that I had the difficult task of telling my friend that I had thrown away her gorgeous blanket. She was certainly disappointed, but was very gracious and kind about it. I still felt horrible. It set the tone for my Tuesday as well.
By Wednesday, things were a bit better, as I set to the task of correcting my terrible mistake. She had found some replacement fabrics (although they’re not quite as perfect as the originals), but I was confident that they would make a beautiful blanket. I was still very frustrated that this thing that I was doing as a favor for a friend would end up costing me about $100, but I was moving past it. It was done, and there was nothing I could do about it.
Now fast forward to Friday. Remember that client with the gorgeous new draperies? Do you see the sconces above the draperies? Well, we had ordered new oil rubbed bronze sconces to replace the brass ones, and the installation was scheduled for Friday morning. So Friday morning, I got a phone call from my client saying that there was a problem with the lights.
When I showed up to her house, the electrician explained that the base of the sconces were about 7 inches wide, and the space between the moulding on the wall was only 5 inches. In addition, the box where the light needed to be wired was at the top of the old fixture, and it needed to be at the bottom of the new fixture. Since the wall is paneling and not drywall, there was no quick, easy, and cheap fix. It was such a rookie mistake that never should have happened on my part, but it was my mistake nonetheless.
On top of that, the store where I purchase the lights will not take them back since they were a special order. So basically that means that if I can’t find a solution that will make these lights work, then I’ve just bought myself three sconces to the tune of $600.
Wow…I thought the point of being in business was to MAKE money!!!
Really, I love my work. Most of my days are productive and fun, and I love meeting new people each day. However, last week I was ready to throw in the towel. But, that’s not an option. I just have to move on and pray that this week will be better.
Hope your week last week was better than mine! And I pray that you’ll have a very blessed week this week.
Happy decorating,
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Good Lord, what a week!! I can't imagine how you must have felt. I said a prayer for you. Just take a deep breath, clear your head & you are going to be just fine. Can I ask??? Is it possible to nail up a wood panel that comes off the wall a bit, paint it & drill a hole in the middle for the wires? That would at least give the sconces room if the wood can be flush with the moulding. They will have all the room they need then. The other problem with the box, wouldn't the added wood panel cover up the hole from the old sconce. Just paint it a pretty color & wa la, a beautiful back drop for your new sconces. Just an idea.
SL~
Thank you so much for that suggestion. I’m actually working on a very similar idea, and I’ll be sure to post it if it works.
But thank you even more for that prayer!!! I certainly need some grace this week to fix the mistakes I made last week!!
It’s tough indeed to pick yourself up from a week like that…but you will…do whatever it takes to get past this: take a long bath, take a walk, clear your head…I try to always learn from my mistakes…
Anon, it was definitely a learning experience. Lesson #1: Never, ever put valuable things in a garbage bag, and certainly don’t put that bag down where you usually put the trash that needs to be taken to the dumpster!!! 🙂 Lesson learned, for sure.
Hi Kristi,
I just discovered your blog and as a designer myself, I totally sympathize with you on both the sconces and the blanket. It is so hard to think of every detail like the placement of the wires, and sometimes the vendor doesn’t even give you accurate information about it and you end up paying the price. It is terrible that they are not returnable! What a sinking feeling that must have been – and I’ve been there!
I also have a blog you could check out if you ever get a chance – http://ericagail.blogspot.com. Happy blogging!
Erica
Erica, I’m sure you know exactly what I went through. I’m sure most designers/decorators have been there at one time. It’s just part of the business, isn’t it? You just have to pick up and move on.
And you’re exactly right…I went back and looked at the specifications given by the vendor, and they didn’t even have measurements listed for the base, so it didn’t even cross my mind. It was definitely my mistake for not thinking of it…but also a critical oversight on their part, I think.
I’ll come right over and take a look at your blog. Thanks for telling us about it!
Oh Kristi, I am so sorry. You are so brave to discuss your foibles online and in public. I am glad you did because it does feel good to know other people make mistakes, too, and we are not all alone in our misery. I HATE making stupid mistakes, but sometimes it happens and I have to force myself to get over it and not beat myself up for too many days.
This is the reason I source out all window treatments. Too much room for error. (Your long panels look great, BTW. I love how you hung them between.)
Hi Denise!
Yes, I think even the best of the best make stupid mistakes now and then. It’s definitely frustrating, but it’s all part of being in business.
Thanks for the compliment on the window treatments! I just love the way draperies warm up a room and give it a cozy feeling.
I just read this – yikes!!! Hope things got better for you, and are staying that way? Let us know how you fixed the sconce issue!
Your drapes look great. Are you sure there is not another place to put those great sconces?
Bad day come too often. A dog ran into my car, thankfully he lived, but I have to pay a bundle for my car repairs. I found out I had the blonde/blue eyed skin cancer on the same day. Ugh!
We ALL make mistakes, and must just pick ourselves up. I do love those sconces! You would not believe my list of Oops!
Hi Kristi,
I just discovered your blog and as a designer myself, I totally sympathize with you on both the sconces and the blanket. It is so hard to think of every detail like the placement of the wires, and sometimes the vendor doesn't even give you accurate information about it and you end up paying the price. It is terrible that they are not returnable! What a sinking feeling that must have been – and I've been there!
I also have a blog you could check out if you ever get a chance – http://ericagail.blogspot.com. Happy blogging!
Erica
Good Lord, what a week!! I can't imagine how you must have felt. I said a prayer for you. Just take a deep breath, clear your head & you are going to be just fine. Can I ask??? Is it possible to nail up a wood panel that comes off the wall a bit, paint it & drill a hole in the middle for the wires? That would at least give the sconces room if the wood can be flush with the moulding. They will have all the room they need then. The other problem with the box, wouldn't the added wood panel cover up the hole from the old sconce. Just paint it a pretty color & wa la, a beautiful back drop for your new sconces. Just an idea.