Love Stinks

So I wrote that I’ve had weddings on my mind, and I ordered a few things from BHLDN to decorate my house for spring.  Well, they arrived last Friday and I was excited to open my little treasures.  I’ll show you how I used everything tomorrow, because this post is devoted to bad smells.  Specifically, the nasal assault spewing forth from this crinkled wheel set.

(BHLDN’s Crinkled Wheel Set, airing outside.)

In my attempt to interpret a bit of Steampunk within my decor, I discovered these beautiful wheels, which are really paper fans, and thought they would work nicely with my idea.  When I opened them, I immediately noticed their incredibly strong odor, which I think must come from a chemical used to cure the paper.  It is seriously noxious, on par with industrial paint fumes, so I spread the fans in my front room, away from the rest of the house, and opened the windows to air everything out.

(Airing the fans on my vintage couch.  They look like beautiful doilies.)

(Detail of a stinky fan.)

It wasn’t enough ventilation, though, and despite staying away from the wheels, I got a headache from the smell that was filling up my house.  Eventually, the fans were moved outside, and hung from my clothesline, where they stayed overnight.  That did help to dissipate the smell quite a bit, though you can still catch a whiff every now and then.

I plan to post a review on BHLDN’s website, warning future brides about the lethal stench.  Spring and summer weddings are quickly approaching, and I hope to prevent an innocent bride or her bridesmaids from fainting as they open the fans on such a special day.  I wish this was a joke, but it’s no laughing matter!

Still, these crinkled wheels are so beautiful, airing out on the clothesline, and I love looking at them.  Even if I have to hold my breath.