Meet my Mom.
This is my mom and me.
We have a fun relationship. She loves that I’m crafty and like to do renovations. She really loves that I blog.
We love to talk. Our conversation will go something like this…
Me: “Mom, guess what! Silhouette is giving me a Silhouette SD Machine!!! Squeal!”
Mom: “Oh goodie. What can we do around MY house with your machine?”
Or…
Me: “Mom, Rachael (my 10 year old sister) needs a more updated room. You should paint it.”
Mom: “I was thinking the same thing. When can you come over and redo her room for her?”
And my recent favorite…
Me: “Hey Mom, I’m going to hang moulding up in my house!”
Mom: “Oh good, I’ve always wanted moulding in my dining room too. When can you come do it for me?”
I love my mom. And she loves exploiting me.
And that, my friends is how I got suckered into turning this disaster:
Into This:
I’m pretty much a sucker for anything my mom asks me to do for her, so of course I ran over and did her dining room for her on the condition that she buy me loads of Diet Dr Pepper.
Look how happy I am! I’ll work for Diet Dr Pepper any day of the week.
I agreed to help her on the condition that she paint the room first. I hate painting. So she painted the tan and the white, and I came over and hung the chair rail and the boxes, just like I did in my piano room.
This:
Turned into this:
And then finally into this:
And this wall went from this:
To this:
And we finished it off with a bunch of white paint:
This room went from blah, to Wow-zam with just a bit of moulding.
I searched through all my pictures from 2001 to now, and I could not find one single good “before” picture of this room. So if and when my mom can unearth one, I’ll post it.
Just picture royal blue striped wallpaper, an upright piano, and a light blue floral couch. So picture THAT. And now look at THIS.
As soon as I set the last chair in place and finished snapping the last photo, my mom says, “Thank you so much. Can you hang this huge pile of plates on the wall for me? I want a plate wall in here as a focal point.”
It never ends, people. Never.
And on top of that, I’ve been updating the 10 year olds room as well. So far she’s gotten a huge phone pop art wall hanging and a silver pedestal bowl.
Once a friend asked me, in front of my mom, what I was going to do on my blog once I finished my house. Before I could say anything, my mom chimes in and says, “Oh that will be years! I’ve got tons of projects for her over here.”
For the record, I actually do have my own house I’m working on. And at this rate I may never finish my house. Apparently I’ve got years worth of work on hers to do. 
My rate just went up. In addition to the Diet Dr Pepper, I’m now going to start charging her a Subway sandwich too. Yes, I will work for food.
And that my friends, is my mom. And if she weren’t so chipper and fun to be around all the time I might be irritated, but with her, it’s always a party.
Moving on… It honestly amazes me every time I hang moulding what a huge difference it makes.
Are you a moulding fan too?
For a full tutorial on how to hang box moulding, click HERE.
Maybe we should do that instead of beadboard in the nursery??
Hmmm…. I take it it’s cheaper?? Although the beadboard looks more capecod/beachy which is what we are going for with the sailboats.
First off let me say something I’m sure you two hear all the time, you guys look like sisters! The room looks awesome, I wish my daughter would do those big jobs for me, instead I get ” So when can you come do such and such for me” I know how you feel! I end up doing things for her home more often than finishing my own projects!
I absolutely love what molding (of any kind) does for a room. By the way, you are a great daughter. I love my mom but don’t know if I’d feel up to a project like this in her home!
It looks fantastic! I wish I could follow you around for a day and be your apprentice.
I am becoming a moulding addict and am about to start a 12-Step Program to see if there is any hope for me. Seriously, I love it. Just finished up another board and batten project in my house and I’m in some serious trouble if moulding ever becomes dated. Serious. trouble. Seriously.
Wow, Allison! What a huge change for very little dough!
xo
Your mama looks like your sister! You girls are beautiful!
What a wonderful daughter you are to tackle that molding for her, great job! I love that she has years of work for you to do…has a bit of your humor I see!
Ah, I love this post because I love my momma too…I get all my artsy-fartsy crafty talent from my mom (not that she is crafty @home) She saves her talents for her students’ art time…lol..
Anyway, thanks for this post..I have to go call my momma now :o)
Bernadette (agirlandherhome.blogspot.com)
Slap an “Addicted” sign on me, I am all about moulding! We’ve got our fair share of it in our home, too! The dining room looks great – love it!
April @ compulsivediy.blogspot.com
so you’re mom and my mom are in cahoots huh?? LOL
oops…meant “your” not “you’re” you’re means you are……..my brain fried!
I need to mention your ( not you’re) LOL…that your post gave me serious deja vu!
AMAZING!!!!! Good job Allison! What a lucky mom you have. My mom should be so lucky…
that dining room transformation is AH-MAAAAZ-ING!
i’m a brand new follower ~ can’t wait to explore a little!
Best Blog Post Ever!!!!!!! You should come lots more at my house, then you’ll have lost of new blogs to post. I’ll take the photos and you help do the work – fair trade, right? Oh, and diet dr. pepper and subways.
I love you too.
mom
Could you talk to my daughter please? I have lots of projects for her to do, too.
Ummmm……your mom is my step-mom’s twin sister!!!!!! Actually it would have to be her triplet sister because she already has a twin. That is just really crazy how identical they are!!! Oh, and I’m glad your mom is supplying you with projects cuz I LOVE your blog. I would be sad to see it end….
What a sweet daughter you are! And what a lucky mom to have such a talented daughter close by
The dining room looks awesome!
Looks really fantastic. Great job.
that’s too funny! people have been asking me what I’m going to do when I run out of home projects. Ummmm, I won’t EVER run out!! and if I had to, I’d hit up relatives and do stuff to their houses, too, lol.
You both look like Glenn Close… but younger…. and presumably not as loaded.
Wow, love the transformation. And the fact that you and your mom have such a close and loving relationship.
Smile!
What a beautiful transformation! …and a beautiful relationship, too! Sounds like you gals have a lot of fun together. I just LOVE to paint…I should really do it at my house. =)
I KNEW you looked familiar! When I saw the pic of you and your mom I finally made the connection- I went to high school with your sister!
Anyways..
I’m a HUGE moulding fan and I’m still working on convincing my hubs that we need new moulding all over the house. The junk the last owners put up is horrendous!
wow you did a lot of work! it looks awesome. you & your mom look adorable!!!!
OMG! Your mom looks like she could be your sister!
I will match your mom’s diet dr pepper and subway and raise you some chocolate and a plane ticket to Iowa to come work your magic at my house! Looks great!
Wow, what a difference. Looks fantastic. Can you come to my house? I’ll buy you all the Dr. Pepper and subway sandwiches you want!!
It look fantastic!! Thanks for the inspiration!
. love that you did this. I wanna do something like this in my entry or living room.
great work!!
chickhardware.blogspot.com
This rocks. You rock!!!
Your mom looks so young. Was she 12 when she had you? wow!!! I’m 49 and my mom is 80. Now I understand how you could have a 10 year old sister. lol
Her dining room looks great too!
The room looks great!
You’re such a good daughter! (you all are actually
You did however, forget to mention that she’s always got something yummy cooking or baking. That + Dr. Pepper = you don’t stand a chance. I love the dining room! You did a fanstastic job! I can’t even remember what it looked like before, but it looks amazing.