Painting the Deck {Opening a can of worms}

You know how when  you have a project to do, and every intention of starting AND finishing the project, other things somehow pop up that you have to get finished too. Ok, finished isn't the right word. Started is the right word for sure. Because let me assure you, nothing is finished. I came to this realization when I had a play group here the other day and found myself saying "yeah, that isn't done" more times than I care to count.

After writing my last post, I had every intention of starting and finishing refreshing/repainting/re-everything the deck. And I started. But I have to do everything during naptime, and by the time I got to having to move the grill and the picnic table, well, time was up. And then the next day it rained. And it has rained a drop or two most days since then, or, I haven't found time to do it.

 

If you look out this window it look finished!

 Why didn't I find time (my husband asks constantly because he is tired of looking at umpteen unfinished projects that have similar stories)? Well, you see...it's because I started another one when I couldn't finish the first one. I decided it would be a good time to spray paint a thrifted chandelier that I have big plans for.

And then a baby woke up.  

So, then the bathroom cabinet in the kids/guest bathroom was really looking dinged up I thought to myself. So I started just the end of the cabinet.

See that paint can "hiding" down by the toilet hoping no one will notice it? Geez-hello super terrible picture!

 And then a baby woke up.

Even before I decided the deck needed work (I blame the nice weather!) I finally had it with my disaster of a closet. Disaster isn't the right word. I blamed the horrible wire racks the builder put in. 

 

And then...well, the baby got sick. 

You see the pattern, right? I could probably count about 8 more of these with my eyes closed. 

 So, if you find yourself thinking, how does one get all of these things done with 4 littles, I don't know. Because I don't get them done either. In between laundry, vacuuming, meals, and many multiple etc's., I find just enough time to begin something. And that's it.

But you know what? I would rather start something (and eventually find the time to finish it)  than never start it at all, waiting for the perfect opportunity, the perfect idea, the perfect whatever.  

And just because the baby went to sleep, I ran up and actually finished a project! I KNOW!!! Ok, actually, it still needs a couple things. 

Dang.

xo-Chris

 

  

How to: Make an easy sign

I've been trying to figure out what to put in the newly stenciled bathroom on those shelves. Then, I saw this "TOURISTS" sign over at Miss Mustard Seed and loved it. And since imitation is considered to be flattering (and I super adore her), I copied her awesome taste and decided I could make one for myself.

I know everyone and their dog has made their own signs...but I've been hesitant because I don't have a steady hand for hand painting (let's face it, I don't have patience). So I've just put it off.

What got me going was this "Transfer Paper" I found at Hobby Lobby. I chose white (for another project that I still have to do).

I already had an old painted over sign I had laying around in the garage that used to say something like "drink wine, let's be friends" - but I bought it on clearance for a few bucks for the wood itself. I thought it was pretty with the little scrolly thing at the top.

I printed out some letters on the computer using regular old Word fonts - slid the transfer paper underneath, and started just tracing the outline of the letters. I could  see the white transfer on the white wood, so that worked out fine. Since I wasn't too sure if I was going to like it (this was a test), I just used a sharpie to fill in the letters.

Easy Peasy. I am going to distress it or wax it...but I was so excited to see how it would look, I just hung it up when I was finished. 

Still some work to do, but I love how it turned out. And it was so stinkin easy that I'm going to go out to the wood pile and see what else I can dream up. Thanks Miss Mustard Seed for the great idea! 

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1st Project of 2012: Before & After

Although I may not spend a whole lot of time in the first project room - it is a room that should look nice, since it makes maybe just a small impression on all who enter my home. The downstairs guest bathroom. Ahem. I had noticed it was starting to look shabby and not in a chic way. I think in a bathroom, paint has to be refreshed more frequently than other rooms  - or at least in my house with 2 little boys. There were drip marks ALL over the walls by the sink, there were nicks and chips and it wasn't cute anymore.

This is a RE-HE-HE-HEALLLLLY difficult room to get a picture of. It's really tall, and narrow, so you either get a shot of the toilet. Or of me taking a picture of the mirror...by the toilet.  So you ready to see a whole bunch of pictures of my sink and toilet? Let's get going!!

BEFORE:

 The color was fine enough - it was an oops paint from Lowes in a nice blue. At the time, I thought it was 28 million times better than the pinky pig beige the builder chose for every. single. surface.

 Once I realized how bad it was, I ran out to the garage and grabbed one of my 50 tester pots left over from painting the core of the house. Those are gray. And the more you test gray. The more it all just looks like you could just throw in the towel and go with a chartreuse or fuchsia. Because it's a heckuva lot easier to choose than GRAY. The top and bottom are Hazy Skies and the middle is ...I don't remember. Both by BM.

Hazy Skies won - it looked fresh and nice with the tile. So busy I got. First I purchased a brand new-sed mirror from Craigslist. For $20. Yay.

 See what I mean about taking pictures. It looks so much better. But do you see it? Do you see that giant tall wall taunting me? It said, "just try to hang something on me. I'll look ridiculous and you will be the ridicule of town". I agreed.  So...busy I got.

 It was really alot of fun wedging myself between the toilet and the wall. Let me tell ya. But...I am really happy with how it turned out. It brightened up the space, calmed the chatty wall down, and made me realize that now the shelves need a whole lot of somethin'. And I don't know what it is. But, I think it's good for now. maybe. Ideas for the shelves behind the toilet? Share!! :) Ok- here it is.
AFTER:

 Sick of pictures of either my towel bar or my sink...ok, here are the details and cheapo price breakdown.

• Paint- Gray-Hazy Skies (BM) - Mixed at Lowes in Olympic $25
• Paint - White- French Linen (BM) left over from stripes in hallway $0
• Mirror - $20 from my friend Craig(slist)
• Stencil - The Hobby Lobby - w/ 40% off coupon. ~$8

Total bathroom makeover - ~$50-ish buckeroos - and I'm feeling a whole lot happier.

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