Remember how we stopped at this place in Maryland on our way to our Labor Day beach weekend?
And remember how we spotted these cool sign letters there that were made even cooler when we learned that they were meant for a Dollar Tree store and were selling for $20 each? I was obsessed with them and almost took home an E, R, or A, just because (sadly there’s no P, J, S, C or B in Dollar Tree).
Well, I finally got me one. Let’s give a lukewarm welcome to letter L.
Why L? Well… give that L a little 180 degree spin and whaddya get? Our favorite number AND a happy John (our first kiss: 7/7/05, our wedding date: 7/7/07 – even Clara was born on the 14th, which we affectionately call 7+7).
Maybe it makes me a little too happy, actually. Avert your eyes Sherry.
What? Nothing weird going on here. Just a man snuggling a giant number 7. It’s completely platonic, I swear.
So here’s the deal. Since I kept talking about how much I regretted not getting that L, Sherry had been brainstorming a way to surprise me with it (we didn’t realize its 7-like appearance ’til we were back home looking at road trip pictures). Her maniacal planning came to an abrupt conclusion when Lesley read the initial post about it where Sherry mentioned that we regretted not getting one and contacted Sherry to act as a secret courier to help with the surprise. Apparently she lives right near the Ole Sale Barn in Denton, Maryland and her mom lives in Richmond so she frequently makes trips between the two spots. Perfect!
Sherry had planned to surprise me for my birthday next week, but Lesley made a trip earlier than expected so after a quick meet-up-in-a-parking-lot and a cash-for-giant-letter swap, the 7 was mine ours. I was actually really surprised. And more than a little in love (both with the wife for her sweet surprise and with my giant number seven itself). It’s already keeping me us company in the office (still need to figure out what to hang next to it, get a real side table and lamp for that corner, etc).
We thought about hanging it on the other wall behind the chair but we both decided we liked walking into the room and seeing it “smiling” back at us, face first (instead of seeing the side of it most of the time, which would be the view if it was hung on the other wall behind the chair).
Oh, if you’re wondering how it’s hung – it was pretty easy. The letter was still wired with lighting, but we’re not planning to get all Novogratz up in here by actually using it as a light (at least not anytime soon due to the cost of wiring the wall). So I carefully disconnected the two giant nubs on the back that would’ve required it sit out from the wall about an inch and stuffed the wires into the 7 for possible future use (we can fish them out with a coat hanger if need be).
Once those big metal things were removed, I was left with two holes – plus some others at the top – that were perfect for hanging it. I just put a couple of anchors and screws into the wall where I wanted ’em, and hung the 7 in place.
A big thanks again to Lesley and taking the time to deliver it us (and for temporarily forking over the $25 to pay for it). Yup, the guy raised the price by $5 since Labor Day. Oh well, still totally worth it.
Psst-We’re over on BabyCenter sharing one of the most creative kids’ birthday parties we’ve ever seen. Seriously, it’s so imaginative and fun.
Psssst- We’ll be back with a kitchen update this afternoon. No dust flying yet, but very very soon…
Hilary @ My So-Called Home says
Love the 7! Funny you guys mentioned this today because I just did a little thrifting in Maryland this past weekend. I found a bunch of cute stuff and you can see it here:
http://www.mysocalledhome.com/2011/11/maryland-thrifting.html
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh love the mirror and the chevron bowls/cups. Such fun finds!
xo,
s
Lauren says
I think it actually looks more like a ‘7’ than an ‘L’!
When you first posted about this, I wanted the ‘R’ & the ‘L’ hardcore for my husband’s and my bedroom. I got so obsessed with having our initials over the bed that I finally just framed a bunch of different Ralph Lauren pillow covers that were all embroidered or printed with “RL”
It’s working for now, but I’m still drooling over your 7/L.
Missy in NoVa says
Don’t forget to exercise your rights and vote today, John and Sherry! Polls are open in Virginia until 7pm tonight :)
ps-love the 7. It’s my favorite number too!
YoungHouseLove says
We’re all about it!
xo,
s
Karen Lee says
Haha! Your Novagratz comment cracked me up this morning.
You should totally Novagratz it! Eventually!
It looks awesome.
Karen lee
Valerie says
If I were you, I’d spray paint that sucker hot pink! It’s a nice add to the room, it balances out the smaller pictures on the other wall well.
Sarah @ The Strength of Faith says
Did you watch Friends? There was definitely a hysterical episode involving the number 7 once – though it’s probably not appropriate to talk about on your blog.
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha – yes. The famous Monica: seven, seven, seven.
Hilarious.
xo,
s
Sara C. says
Love it! “All Novogratz up in here”…. that’s exactly what I thinking. They do so much with the lighted accessories! Looks great how you have it!
Jen says
7 is also my favorite number, I was born on 7/7/73. Love all the ways you incorporate that number into your home.
Lindsay says
Awww very cute. I like.
Elizabeth says
So great! It even matches the bits of yellow in the wall stenciling! Love it! :)
Kate Ediger says
So cool of Lesley to help you out!!!
Seriously Sassy Mama says
I love the number. Such a great piece for your office.
Justin says
There’s not many people who can get away with having an affair with a giant, upside-down letter “L” from a dollar store sign, but you pull it off John. I don’t know how, but you do it.
Love the sense of humor on this blog. I think it is why I keep coming back!
By the way, we have a white ceramic pig from the Dollar Tree in our daughters nursery. Jealous?
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! So completely jealous.
xo,
s
Justin says
Oh, the pig made it into one of these photos we took of her room…
http://justinandkatie.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/img_2970.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
So cute! And I love the name Carly.
xo,
s
Justin says
Haha thanks! I picked it:)
GreenInOC says
Looks fantastic!!
I recently purchased a letter to hang on my wall and I’m a little more in love with it than should be legal!!!
I didn’t get mine from this Etsy shop (the one I bought from went out of business) but I corresponded with this shop and their pricing is way better than what I paid and she’s super nice!:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/fredandlulu?section_id=10077007
YoungHouseLove says
So cool! Thanks for sharing.
xo,
s
Ashley says
Very cool! We don’t have a favourite number between the two of us over here. Or a common letter either, because we live in sin. Boo hiss. ;)
Kerstin says
So happy for you, that you finally got the L/7! It looks great on the stenciled wall and I really like the contrast of the “romantic” stencil and the clear lines of the letter. Maybe you could install a small light in it, nothing neon-industrial, just something cosy for the wintertime. Forgive me, it is already totally dark outside here (Germany 5.30 PM)
By the way, have you linked to the wrong “initial post”? It directs to the wedding trip to North Carolina and not to the Labor day post.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the wrong-link tip! Off to fix that!
xo,
s
Lisa P. says
Oh snap! I love this!
Amy D. says
Love it! I called the Ole Sale Barn to see if they still had the letter that I was looking for and begged them to ship it for me (even offering double) to no avail. :( If your friend would be interested in making some extra money to pick it up and ship it to me in Charlotte, NC..let me know!
It would make the best Christmas gift for my boyfriend.
Jadie says
Love your creativity! Such a good idea. Wish somehow a R from “Dollar Tree” could turn into a really cool 4, our special number :) Can’t wait to see the kitchen update this afternoon!
Mackenzie says
I too am a typography nut (being a writer and all)! And I’ve been dying to hang some cool sign letters in my new apartment. I’ve seen letters of all sizes but not all shapes — no M’s or any other letters that have any association with or meaning to me or my guy. Super bummer.
Now I’m thinking, maybe your spin idea could work for me! I bet there’s a W out there that looks like an M when turned on its head! Thanks, Petersiks :)
GreenInOC says
@Mackenzie – here’s an “M”:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/68954448/vintage-metal-letter-m-with-reflectors
It’s not nearly as big as John’s is (okay, that doesn’t sound right!!), but it’s cool!
Casey says
Have you figured out what kind of window treatment you’re doing for that window? Since the window above the desk will get darker once you enclose the garage that front facing window will provide the only light. Are you going to do a roman shade? Blinds? Would billowy curtains butt up against the placement of the 7 (since you like to hang the curtains extra wide to allow for more natural light)? I’m far too invested in the personal decisions your family makes regarding your gorgeous home, haha!
YoungHouseLove says
We’re definitely in the roman-shades camp just so we can have the same treatment on the window over the desk for balance (and curtains + desk = crazy).
xo,
s
Caitlin @ Desert Domicile says
That’s such a sweet gift/surprise! And yay for Lesley for lending a helping hand :)
Melissa S. says
No lie, a couple days ago I was driving by a Dollar Tree and was struck with sympathy for poor Jon, remembering how he missed his “7”. Happy you two were reunited. It looks great in the office!
tina says
I love old letters also :)
Barbara says
I think I saw this on HGTV once but frustratingly enough, can’t remember the show: They installed wall scones without wiring the wall up. They used some sort of copper electrical tape that the sconce was attached to, ran it down the wall and along the baseboard, and to the plug. Then they painted over the tape to hide it entirely. They were also trying to save on costs by doing this.
I’m sorry that’s so vague but maybe its enough to jog someone else’s memory of the show?
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip! It sounds like we might be able to add a string of plug-in christmas lights and then just hide the cord by using one of those metal cord coverings and painting it!
xo,
s
Jessica @ Quirky Bookworm says
I see someone else beat me to “This post was brought to you by the number 7”! Mothers of Sesame Street lovers think alike?
Glad to hear that the relationship with the 7 is purely platonic! :)
Miranda @boucksy says
It looks so much better as a ‘7’ than an ‘L’ ever could!! Way to go, Sherry for a fabulous surprise!
mp says
Y’all obviously know that seven is a powerful number! Always my favorite, although I don’t have any in family birthdays or anniversaries. I love that big old seven on the wall.
Sara says
I like it how the white front and the golden(?) sides matches up with the white and yellow on the stenciled walls! Lovely!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
So cool. Now I am scouring for number 8 :) Tough, but I won’t give up. Else, printer and a frame to the rescue!
Donna says
This is super sweet, but I think I speak for a bunch of us when I say I cannot wait for some more kitchen posts! I am so excited to see it all come together, which is kind of weird. I love your choices, it is going to look amazing!
Melissa says
Super Cool.
Alex says
How perfect is it that the sides of the 7 are yellow? Meant to be! Way to go sneaky Sherry!!
Nicole says
LOVIN the seven!! You find the neatest things. Also, I believe before you said you would give invites for Pinterest….well…Im looking for one:) Not sure how exactly it works but Im checking it out often enough, I figure I should try it out! Any help, directions, whatever would be great!! Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh, just head over to our Facebook page and request an invite (people trade them back and forth pretty quickly over there). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Cristina says
Does it have a light inside? it would be cool..
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, it’s made to light up if we hardwire the wall to plug it in. Since we don’t have the budget for that now, we might do that down the road (or use christmas lights inside of it that plug in).
xo,
s
Sarah says
Looks great! I have an unrelated question…what kind of photo editing program do you own? I’m on the quest of purchasing Photoshop, but I don’t want to spend a whole lot. Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
We have Adobe Creative Suite but it was spendy (we needed it because we were still in advertising at the time we bought it). I bet you could get anything you need done with just a basic version of Photoshop to save some money.
xo,
s
Jessica says
I love the 7! I can’t help but wonder though – I see a greek letter poking out of John’s shirt. Is he a fraternity guy? :)
From a fellow greek,
:)
YoungHouseLove says
He was in an honor fraternity called Phi Sigma Pi. My favorite thing is his “talk nerdy to me” t-shirt from his frat days.
xo,
s
Katie@Paisley Print Shoes says
Seriously seriously love that!!!!
Marianna says
I randomly clicked your BabyCenter post (I have no baby) and read it and got to the end and realized I KNOW those people! Used to work with them both. Small world :)
YoungHouseLove says
No way!! That’s awesome. They’re so sweetly sentimental and creative!
xo,
s
Kristen @ Popcorn on the Stove says
That’s so great that you were able to get that “L”, and even better that it’s a perfect 7 when upside down. It looks great on the wall!
Teresa says
I hadn’t really ever thought of using letters like that in the house… just goes to show you nothing is off limits with home decor, eh?
Deb Ramsthaler says
So surprised that you didn’t give the gold tone the ORB treatment. Honestly Sherdog, what were you thinking? :D
Mary says
Love the “7”. Have you thought of making it a light box, sort of Novogratz style? Just a suggestion, but it is cute either way :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- it’s actually already wired to be a light (hence our little Novogratz mention) so it might someday get lit up if we have the budget to hardwire it onto the wall (or we might try christmas lights that plug in).
xo,
s
Tirsa says
That is such a sweet gift. (and a sweet and thoughtful messenger) The seven looks like it always belonged there! Enjoy!
Annapolitan says
I think you need a regular feature of John mugging for the camera.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha. I agree. Nothin’ I like more. Well it might be tied with C & B getting their mug on too.
xo,
s
Lesley says
You’re very welcome! Aaaaaaand once we got back to NoVA from our Rehoboth vacation the hubs wondered why I didn’t get the other L for our house. Grrrrrrr. Glad to see it in such a great place! xoxo
Kelly @ Corner of Main says
Good idea on making it a 7! Someone near me was selling an ‘R’ on Craigslist for $35. Since our last name started with an R I really wanted to get it, and I regret not doing so. Sooo Jealous that you and your 7 were reunited! Maybe there is hope for me, lol ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, there’s hope!
xo,
s
Leigh says
What a sweet girl that helped you get that 7. I would probably use it as an L since my name beings with one. I love that you guys have a number and you display it in your home. Our number is 6 but we don’t celebrate it like we should. I say let’s embrace our number! Thanks $herdog!
Lisa Washington says
LOL Why do I envision John on Sesame Street introducing the number of the day with his affection towards the number 7?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I think he might legitimately enjoy that gig. He would do well by it.
xo,
s
Mollie says
that would also look super snazzy on your painted brick in the living room or sunroom!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so funny because that was the other place we debated hanging it, but we liked how the goldy-yellow color on the side tied into the stencil (in the living room it sort of looked clashy with the oil-rubbed bronze curtain rods and the silver lamps on the console).
xo,
s