Creative Evolution

When I was growing up I was often frustrated when I attempted to create something.
I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted it to look like but it never turned out that way.
I felt like a creative failure.

Over the years I have found that while it's good to have an idea of what you are creating,
it's also good to be open to the project evolving as you create.
While it doesn't always work out, most of the time you come up with something better.

Case in point:

Kirsten suggested that we should go with one WOW feature above the fireplace and move our family picture grouping to a side wall over the couch. Great idea! I have really been liking the sunburst mirrors I have been seeing on design blogs and all over the place.
(I love that last blog, you should check it out, Michelle is amazing).

picture from CB2 online
I saw these "wheel mirrors" in the CB2 catalog and thought it would be really fun to get one.
(You know, with the love of cycling and all at our house...)
Of course the $68.00 price tag seemed a bit much for me.
So with a $2.00 bike wheel from DI (local thrift store), some spray paint, a $3.00 mirror, a little elbow grease (from me, Mark and Christian), and some epoxy we had this:
Love it!
But it was small for the space and really didn't give the WOW I wanted.
Then while shopping at Tai Pan Trading I found this:
The size was good and it was marked down to $29.95 because of some minor imperfections.
Works for me!

One morning I came downstairs and Mark was already up. He was by the fireplace and said, "Hey check this out" He held up the bicycle wheel mirror over the Tai Pan one and WHAAAAAAA!
(Imagine angels singing)
(Confession - for some reason I am often hesitant to accept other peoples ideas and input - bad habit I know and I'm trying to break myself of it but when I put my bias doubts aside I loved it!)
Mark had come up with the PERFECT thing!
(this picture really doesn't do it justice)
It looks different depending on the lighting in the room and we put another mirror on the back of the small one in the middle so the reflections close up are really cool. It also is not totally noticeable at first glance that it's a bicycle wheel in the middle but people figure it out over time. It's fun to watch. We made a few other small ones to go on the sides but I need to do a little touch up painting before I hang them.

The family room is officially under way
so is the dining room...
focus, focus, focus!