The Interior DIYer

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Five year blogiversary

Exactly 5 years ago today, whilst sitting on that very chair and on this very laptop, I decided to create a thing called a blog. I was excited and nervous and never expected anything ever to come of it.

I created my website [then called ‘Hydrangea Girl’] as a place to share design stuff I fancied while studying for my BA in Interior Design, right as the sweltering recession hit [most excellent timing]. I started my blog as I knew I’d never be able to get a job in an Interior Design firm. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d end up working on such incredible projects and meet such awesome people thanks to that one August afternoon sitting in my pyjamas on the couch. Yeesh. Feelings.

So as much as this is going to sound pretentious and like I’m accepting an Emmy or something, I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you if you creep my projects, comment occasionally, pin the occasional project or simply check in every once in a while, thank you. And I don’t just mean it today because it’s my blogiversary, but I really do mean it. As Anna Dorfman puts it, I don’t have social anxiety on the internet. Thank you for supporting my silly ideas, none of which would have happened if it wasn’t for this.

If you wanna see what my site looked like over the years, you can check it out here, and you can also check out my super awkward first blog post here. It’s awkward.

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Cheeky bathroom cross stitch – everyone does it

George Clooney does it. So does Chris Pratt, Martha Stewart, Emma Watson, the Queen, Hugh Jackman, Dita Von Teese and Lawrence Krauss. Even Katy Perry does it. It’s something nobody talks about, but it’s something we all do.

I’m partial to keeping it real these days – in a sophisticated way, I like to think. I’ve been quite hesitant to blog about my most recent cross stitch as I feared people would find it crass. Overwhelming. Not suitable for children. They would revolt and gasp “This is distastefulness of the highest order! I literally can’t even. Who does she think she is?“, and to those people, I’d like to say you are in serious denial about what happens in the bathroom. It’s not vulgar. It’s an inconvenient truth … 

I created this bathroom cross stitch in a bid to indirectly put things into perspective about going to the toilet. The idea for this cross stitch came from hearing tall tales of people’s, how can I say, nervous dispositions. People holding it all day in work and waiting until they got home to do it. Cutting dates short to go home to use their own loo. Even once, a friend during their primary school trip to France held it for 5 days until they got home. FIVE DAYS. It’s ridiculous! Everyone does it! And they’ve been doing it since forever. 

I like to think I’ve broached the subject in an aesthetically pleasing way. This simple and straight forward cross stitch has been hanging in our bathroom for five months now and any guest that visits always comments on it. Not necessarily directly. I’ll hear them laughing in the bathroom or they’ll simply say “It’s true. Everyone does it“. The alternative is plain ridiculous. It’s simple. If you need to go, GO!

For those who do think this cross stitch is a bit too much, I do apologize. It was simply made to make people feel more comfortable and to put things into perspective. We only live once, and I’m a firm believer that you can’t take it all seriously.

If my silly cross stitch helps even just one person out there, I’ll feel like my blog post has been justified. Just remember, everybody does it. Even Katy Perry poops. 

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You’ve got mail

A couple of weekends ago Robert and I planned a trip to the Merchants Market on the East Wall road. It’s a behemoth of an indoor market full of thrifty stalls of all shapes and sizes, overflowing with the weirdest and most wonderful of things. For example, I distinctly remember finding an industrial size tub of used Vaseline for sale during one particular outing. 

Unfortunately, once we arrived we were told the market was no longer. Giant, undiluted ugly crying face. All was not lost as we were diverted to a single stall remaining in the adjacent building, so we of course went in for a snoop. A few minutes in what did Robert spy? This Canadian post bag hanging from a curtain rod. I had to have it. Then I did that thing where I say to myself “hmm, maybe I’ll leave it and think about it“, but the thought of coming back and it being gone was too horrible a thought.

I attempted some atrocious bargaining [I am painfully awkward at it, therefore rarely do it], but I managed to get 10 euro off. For me, that is a small and awkward victory. Some might say 25 euro for a post bag is a bit steep, but please keep in mind I was too floored by finding a bit of Canada in Dublin. 

When I got home I attempted to do a bit of research to see if it was a legit mail bag or not. Unfortunately, not much showed up in regards to history behind this style, but I did find this same style 1964 Canada Post bag on Flickr [and also this picture of a similar bag in action]. So I’m claiming it’s legit, but from where in Canada, I don’t know. There are no other markings on it.  

One thing I’m curious about is, and it’s going to sound dumb, but do I wash it? I personally love the way it looks and I’m planning on hanging it in our hallway so I don’t mind it’s current condition. But I mean it is a little scruffy. It’s vintage. It doesn’t smell or feel gross, so I kind of feel like washing it would lessen it? One thing’s for sure, Toshi thoroughly inspected it before it was hung up … 

You can see mine and Emily‘s trip to Merchant’s Market 2 years ago here, back when my site was called ‘Hydrangea Girl’ and I had no fringe.