What do you think of the exclamation point?
Can we all agree there are a lot of “!!!!” in blogland?
Do you think it’s trite?
Overused?
A worn out and tired piece of punctuation?
I must speak up here in defense of the lowly exclamation point.
For in my humble opinion, there is nothing that says it better than a little “!” So much so, that I think I am forming a support group called “Exclamation Points R Us.” (catchy title, huh)
A group where punctuation is celebrated and where exclamation points can run rampant and wild and free.
Seriously.
Can you imagine the world without any excitable punctuation. What would you do if you wanted to show off your new burlap curtains….
….and you were excited. Really excited. Almost like when you gave birth or got married or got straight ‘A’s” or painted the world’s most comment-worthy dresser or finally took all your Christmas decorations down.
Almost as excited as that….but not quite.
Still, even a little excitement needs an exclamation point.
“I have new burlap curtains.”
Lame.
A simple statement. Lukewarm at best. From someone who has ordinary, run-of-the-mill curtains.
But what if the curtains used to be dropcloths?
What if they were smocked?
What if they were long and beautiful and the perfect shade of burlapness and you had a secret crush on them?
Don’t you think that long, beautiful, smocked, used to-be-dropcloth curtains deserve an exclamation point?
Or two!!
Two may be too many, though. I’m not sure that’s approved.
I have to run it by the board of “Exclamation Points R Us.”
PSS All photographs in this post were taken by RTM Connect.
I'm totally in love with the burlapness going on over there! They deserve two exclamation points, no doubt!!
You have smocked curtains!!! Before I could make mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How 'bout that...
Wow, did you make them smocked or buy them someplace?!!!!!!! I'm in the club.
Those are gorgeous, Karianne! I will use one exclamation point to make my point. : ) I think it's better than saying, "Those are gorgeous, Karianne." Blah - period - do you believe I think they are gorgeous if I use a period? I don't use exclamation points too much in my posts but I use them in my comments because I want people to know that I really do like what they are sharing. At any rate, that smocking looks great ~ was it difficult to do? I've never tried smocking before. I'll give you another three exclamation points just for doing something I'm afraid to try!!!
I'm in!!!! :)
Oh my. Those are beautiful. I need a tutorial on that. Okay, fuh-get-abowt-it! I can't help it! Sign me up for the !!!'s R Us Group now! The curtains are really amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whew. They really are. And thanks for your very sweet words. I'm going to go open up a word document and fill it with exclamation points. Maybe then it'll be out of my system, b/c I know I am guilty of using it waaaay too much. But, seriously, they're beautiful! ~L
Quick, whip me up some of those burlap curtains and I'll add 7 exclamation points (don't worry, I know the president of Exclamation Points R Us)! Kelly
O.M.G. To die for... Okay, not the same without exclamation points. !!!!! LOVE!!! That's better. :) What a gorgeous space and the drapes are the perfect finishing touch. Okay, did you do the smocking or do you have someone that does that? Unbelievable. !!!
these are GORGEOUS!!!!! and by the way...i could be president of the club -- i have loved them all my life! my kids say that i am annoying as i use them all the time! it is nice to be in company that see's things my way : ) Lol!!!!!! sending hugs and a happy happy once again! : )
Cute, cute post!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!! XO Diana
I definitely use exclamation points alot. I don't how else to show my enthusiasm for something. Like this...........I love your new curtains!!! I really do, btw. Did you make them or buy them like that already? Do share.
Ack(!) Smocked curtains (!!) I LOVE them (!!!) Definitely the (!) needs to be used here. Lots of them. I neary swooned at the closeup of those curtains. PLEASE do tell how these came about. Did you buy them that way? Were they plain and then you had someone make them that way? Did you do the smocking? Oh.my.word. Fabulous curtains!!
!!!!! They REALLY are wonderful!!!! I've never seen anything like them before...truly exclamation point worthy!
Btw, I can only imagine that dropcloths sales will certainly rise because of this post. I know my wallet is going to be lighter as soon as I find out the how-to on this.
They are beautiful and full of exclamation point worthiness!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Smocked! Burlap! Floor to Ceiling lovelies!!! What would we do without the appropriate punctuation?
"Ehum....is this thing on? Hi, my name is Kolein and I'm an exclamationpointoholic. I was invited tonight by my friend, Karianne. But there's a little something you should know: I ain't changing a thing!!!!!!" Goodness Me! Could you imagine? What would happen? I think blogland, FB, Tweets and all things Pinning would shrivel up, wither, die, turn sour, gray, dried up, become weak and never ever exist any longer. All life for authors and authoresses across the globe who sit at their laptops exercising their minds and fingertips would lose all vim and vigor. How would expressions get expressed? How would joy overflow from my Mac to yours? How? With the exclamation point, Eeyore's tail would never be found. Dr Seuss's Cat in the Hat would become a chinese restaurant favorite and all written emotion would cease, right on the spot. So while I was pondering this very subject (!), as I was awaiting some of my very own inspiration to hit, I looked up the definition of EXCLAMATION: -noun a sudden cry or remark, esp. expressing surprise, anger or pain Burlapness will do all of that to a person, if she's not careful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your curtains are absolutely gorgeous, and I am definately a member of Exclamation Points R Us !!! And three is my favourite number and I can't seem to live without either LOL !!!
oh i love them. they look amazing. love the smocking and the fabric and color. (i am trying to write without "!!!"'s and it is SO hard.)
omgoodness--these are simply fabulous!!!
I agree, those curtains are totally exclamationable! And just to prove it, here's another, take that punctuation police!!!!! ~Bliss~ (Did you sew them yourself?)
Lovely room, the smocked curtains are to die for...and they were burlap dropcloths? Other details nice too, gray sideboard, lovely floors and those columns...nothing like good bones to work with!...one of your beloved exclamation points
I am in favoure of the exclamation point I think it is often underused, as for those awesome looking cutains wow they do look good.........I bought new blinds for my lounge room but I am still waiting for hubby to help me put them up...........
Ok, that whole dining room is a big exclamation point in my book!!! The curtains are fabulous--makes me want to make some, but I'm not sure if I'm capable. My posts (and comments) are always full of exclamation points, so here's a big vote in their favor!!!
Beautiful !!! Amazing !!! Totally must get the how to on these please !!! I use the lovely EXCLAMATION all the time. It is followed in a close second with the three periods... but hey it is me and that is the way I roll. Like it or not. And I will yell it to the rooftops- I love exclamations and your smocked dropcloth curtains !!! tammy
Oh my, first I heart exclamation points...but more importantly...I LOVE YOUR CURTAINS!!!! (Where does exclamation points R us weigh in on ALL CAPS???) :)
Yes, yes, and yes. It is overused and trite. Yes it is warranted at times, even in triples. And yes, your curtains are scrumptious! I have never learned to smock, and so envy anyone who has the ability.
I love these curtains! Years ago I found some smocked curtains, and I always wished I had bought them. I'm so glad you approve of exclamation point! I was afraid you were going to say they're overused. I think the exclamation point adds emphasis in writing when you can't see or hear the other person.
!!!! Ok, maybe I'll say a few more words than this. Ummm, I love them. I adore them. I want them to be mine. I want to copy them, without guilt, without shame, as I must own beautiful smocked lovliness in my home. How did you know that I love smocking? How did you know that I would find your curtains perfect in your gorgeous dining room? I must know, did you make them? did you buy them? If you made them, you should etsy copies of them and make meeeelions. ps, I not only tend to overuse the !, but also am quite fond of the =)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OH, MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THOSE ARE TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT SOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DID YOU MAKE THEM?!!!!!!!!!!!!!DO SHARE, PAHLEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The curtains definitely deserve an exclaimation point. Love em! It's funny, the font I use on my blog doesn't recognize exclaimation points. It just looks like you misspelled a word. lol
I love my smocked curtains!!! who would have every guessed such a thing could be created!!! Made my day!!! Hope our comments make your day!!!
There is only one thing to say about those curtains !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE THOSE CURTAINS!!!
I just Looooooooooooove exclamation points and those great curtains!!!! Fun post!!!
!!!!!! I love them!!!!
Those curtains are perfection!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love me an exclamation point and I'm not afraid to admit it!
"!"
Gorgeous curtains!!!!!!!...love them and exclamation points!!
So I checked in with the International Center of Exclamation Points to see if your burlapness were worthy of the punctuation and received word back that they are definitely worthy of the highest rating of Points which would be a perfect '10'. !!!!!!!!!!
Wow!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!!!! wow!!!!!!! And I don't care if the exclamation police come and get me!!!!! Those curtains deserve beaucoups of marks and dots!! (so sorry I haven't been by lately.....no internet for two weeks and the techies could not figure out the problem. Yep...I uttered a few choice words with lots of exclamation points behind them. :) Thank you for the sweet email Kari. xoxo
Okay! Actually, there's a lot written in blogland that gives me(as an English teacher) the willies. The overuse of exclamation points is low on the ladder of things that annoy. So--get excited if you want!
Awesome curtains Karianne!!!!! Love smocking, love burlap, love exclamation points!!!!!
I LOVE your drapes!! The smocking is fabulous! Did you do it? (and I LOVE to use exclamation points!) How else would you know that I really, really mean it?
When I was taking Spanish Language classes, you learned that when writing a sentence of exclamatory essence (is that a word?) you placed the exclamation point in front of the sentence upside down..so I say to you... ...[a million upside down exclamations]..great job beautiful drapes..love the smocking..awesome..[a million right side up exclamation points]... Now..let's think about the (.......) Dots R Us..in blogland...I am sooo guilty!
Hmm, cough, cough, my name is Claudia and I too am a exclamationaholic *refusing to hang my head in shame*. *Instead I hold my head up proud*. How else is one to show excitement? I am also guilty of using =) when I like something and =)) if I really like it. Therefore, you get lots of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! on the burlap drapes for their and =)). Please share the tutorial or place of purchase, that would make me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!=)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Karianne, these curtains are just breath-taking....the smocking is like icing on the cake, like bavarian cream in a doughnut..... they are just yummy and worthy of many !!!!!...you go girl!
LOVE your smocked dropcloth drapes!!!!!!!! OMG I want some! Did you make those? Your dining room is just divine!! ~Des
LOVE the curtains!! Did you make them? I've seen the smocking recently and adore it! They are soooo perfect!!!
Love!! Love!! Love!! your curtains. Did you make those or buy them? If you made them then stand up and take a bow!!! If you did then you should make a fortune taking orders and making them. Have a great week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sheila
YES. As a journalism major/professional writer, there are way too many exclamation marks in blogland. But as a lover of blogging and person who gets overly excited about things like these gorgeous curtains, sometimes you just need seven exclamation marks to get the point across. SEVEN!!!!!!!
You are such a tease!!!!!! When are you going to tell us DETAILS @ THE CURTAINS!!!!!!????? Swoony and to die for lovely. See your point proven! Did not look like I really meant it w/o the exclamation marks! I love the window that is angled, too! Audrey
You must have been reading my comments and noticed I end everything with a ! I also like to throw in a few .... and even an occasional ( ) or two. Will that qualify me to become a card caring member of Exclamation Points R Us? Love your beautiful curtains? Must ask..... did you make them? I do get unlimited questions in the fine print? Whoops now that's 4 questions in one comment! Have a great day!
Lovely!!!!!!!!!
too funny! i am always so hesitant to use the exclamation point that i veer on the side of flat affect instead of trite. i'm working on it (see i used one in this very comment). and i have a not so secret crush on your curtains. they are indeed the perfect shade of burlapness.
LOVE!!!!! And LOL!!! I've been trying to cut back a bit on my use of my favorite form of punctuation but always feel that it makes me sound bland and cold so now you have given me the confidence to embrace it! :-) And I seriously do think those are some stunning curtains and have never seen any like it. Well done!!! Vanessa
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!nuff said!!!!!!! ok, LOVE them!
dang. I love them.
This is just too cute...I use exclamation points all of the time since I stay excited about any new thing or decorating of some sort. I'd die without them! So for me, I'll keep using them and tell you that those dropcloth curtains are divine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whoa ! ! ! ! !
Very pretty curtains. actually, I was out today looking for some for my living room. The patterns in Penney's seem to all look alike. Today, that is. so, I bought a can of paint instead and started finishing a project I did long ago.
Love your curtains!!!!!!!!!! We ordered ours today too...finally!!! I'm the Queen of exclamation points...can't live without them!!!!!
Exclamation points are definitely needed! Maybe two!! I find myself deleting exclamation points in my posts/comments sometimes. I'm concerned that people might think I'm a teenage girl.
i love your curtains!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! {too many !'s ?} did you smock them? if so, i am sending you mine to smock... ;)
Fabulous !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've never seen drop cloths smocked before ... I see a trend starting now. :)
WOW...Your curtains are BEAUTIFUL!!!! It's amazing how elegant the burlap is! Great Job!
Look at all the crazy you have unleashed here ... ... I think some heads have actually exploded ... :) Linda P.S. Really do love those drapes!
curtain directions please!!! :)
BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I love all forms of punctuation, which "say" something extra. I love * * and " " and etc., etc. We don't have a voice or facial expressions, in blogging. Why not use all the keyboard-voice-and-facial-expressions, we can????? :-)))))) "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." ~Joseph Campbell
Hi Karianne, WOW! You actually smocked a paint drop cloth and made it into curtains? Amazing, stunning, beautiful!! Joyous Wishes, Linda
You had a professional photographer photograph your new burlap smocked curtains!!! They are gorgeous, and I do love exclamation points even if they do make me sound like a teenager. Ans while I'm at it, I wish I had a font that would make them big and fat with hearts on the bottom too! So there!
Totally exclamation point worthy!!! Not everything is, in my opinion, but these SO are! How did you make those? My grandma made me several smocked dresses when I was little and I still have them hanging in my closet. These bring back happy memories for me so exclaim on! They are deserving :)
My name is Courtney and I am an exclamation point overuser! But it's how I talk in my head! I am very excited! And now I offer some exclamation points to you for your gorgeous curtains!!! Amazing! Chic! Gorgeous!
Those curtains rock! I noticed them before the discussion steered their way and I also love an exclamation point - or two!!
Did you make them? Oh please share! I love them!
OH!!! MY!!!!!!GOODNESS!!!!!!! I LOVE!!! Your new smocked curtains. Did you make them? If not can you share where they are from? Beautiful!!!
beautiful! I am so jealous. I'm with you on the exclamation points. How else can we convey excitement right?!!!!!
Too funny! In this world of electronic communication, we are having to find a way to find intonation to the words we type. I suppose punctuation is serving that purpose. I love exclaiming. Especially about those fabulous curtains. I am redoing my bedroom and I need them!!!!!! except we have old fashioned radiators between the windows, so my curtains have to be 63". My husband claims they would not catch fire if they were long...but my mother gave me these genes...so of course I think they would burn the house down. ;)
I COVET those curtains!!! & as a charter member of Exclamation Point-ers Anonymous I will weigh in as a HUGE fan.
Those are YOUR curtains?!?! (Ooooh, two exclamation points AND two question marks! HA!) I've seen them on Pinterest but didn't pay attention to where they came from...girl, they are GORGEOUS! (How about ALL CAPS R US?) Love the smockity-smockiness! :)
!!!!!!!!!!!Love!!!!!!!!!!! my son says I use them too much~I say there's no such thing! Your curtains are exclamation point worthy! Debbie
Those are gorg! Did you do the smocking yourself?! I'm disappointed your post title was so drab! Maybe you should have livened it up with a -- you know.
Oh my goodness your curtains are so beautiful!! They very much deserve many exclamation points!!!!
You are too funny and I would love to know how you made those! They are beautiful!
Wow, beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean really!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven't had the chance to tell you, but I LOOOOOVE your curtains! Did you do them yourself or did you have them done? If you did them, you should do a tutorial!! I love how the smocking adds that certain "umph" and style and shape to a lovely, simple and classic fabric. They look so beautiful! -Revi
This is quite hilarious :D I'm a fan of exclamations to show my excitement. And let's face it...I'm pretty excited all the time! You can tell the level of my excitement by the number of exclamation points. Not only do these curtains deserve the big "!" (or 7), but also that chandelier! Gorgeous! Thanks for stopping by today and have an awesome weekend! :D
Hello, my name is Deborah and I am an exclamationaholic. Oh yeah...I usually have to go back through my posts or comments and edit out some of the exclamation points. Your curtains however are worthy of a thousand exclamation points!!!! Now fess up. Did you make them, buy them, have them made???? Oh, sorry this isn't the questionmarkaholics club.
Love the curtains!!!! can I be vice-president of your new club?!!!! xoxo!!!
Wow!!!! (I love your smocked curtains! Love your room! and yes, I am part of the "can't-seem-to help-but-to-use-those-exclamations" aka "exclamations r us" club. Makes me want to run out and get some fabric to smock some curtains for! Blessings & Aloha! I’m stopping by through At the Picket Fence’s Inspiration Friday. So nice to meet you :o) If you have some time, I’d love for you to take a peek at our daughter’s progress for her little one’s nursery ~ Nurery time...
oops! sorry about my quick draw, lightening fingers! Along with my excess use of exclamations, I tend to have typos! (Truly, my mispelled "Nurery", instead of Nursery was a typo and not because I cannot spell). Have a wonderful rest of the weekend :o) Blessings & Aloha!
Your dining room is fabulous! And yes, I use the exclamation point a lot! :) I think when you get excited, it's the only way to communicate! I can't get over your drapes- out of dropcloths? Seriously? You must do a tutorial on them! Anyway, you're going to be featured and I'm now following you. :)
I am an exclamation point abuser as well as a lover of all things burlap and smocked. These curtains are so amazing that I too have a crush on them. I also love your gray hutch and will be copying soon with my armoire. Thanks for all the inspiration. (See how dull that was without any of these !!! ?)
Also, thanks for linking up!
Karianne, thanks so much for sharing this at Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No! Such! Thing! as to many explanation points...in fact Vanessa and I have to check each other occasionally because we find we have one at the end of every sentence in a post. lol!!! ;) Girl, seriously those curtains are beyond amazing! I seriously swooned when I saw them! Thank you so much for sharing them with us at Inspiration Friday....PS!!! I saw a little post birdie that mentioned something about Haven?? So excited to get to meet you there! We can all squeal when we see each other...with explanation points of course!! ;) Heather
These. are. fan.FREAKIN.tastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
Those are amazing! We definitely need a tutorial!!
What a curtain!
Those curtains are TOTALLY exclamation-point-worthy!! Love 'em.
The smocking on your curtains reminds me of party dresses my daughters wore long ago!! What a charming dining room-following you from TDC-stop by for a visit!
You MADE these curtains???? I am swooning and drooling!!! I would LOVE to have them, they are pure perfection. Your dining room is also beautiful. OMG, I am having withdrawal NOT using exclamtion points as I am the QUEEN of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really love your site.. Pleasant colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself? Please reply back as I'm hoping to create my own personal blog and would love to know where you got this from or what the theme is named. Appreciate it!