This Is How I Roll

It's been awhile since I've painted the east bedroom.  Truth is I couldn't really get past the fact this room was designed by my child.  She chose the bedding, the paint color and the trim color.  This room smacks of her tastes and I find it endearing.  She is now a woman but that's beside the point.  She no longer lives with me and that's beside the point, too.  She is doing what she's supposed to be doing:  school; living in the east; fostering relationships with friends, educators, and artsy likes.  Yep, she's living her dream. And so, after much hemming and hawing I went from her Island-y choice of Ralph Lauren's Agean Blue...

....to my warm-ish, sophisticated Ralph Lauren Truss.  

It looked good on a swatch so I high-tailed it over to my handy-dandy home improvement store and took a look.  I thought I might opt for a gray color and saw enough samples of rooms done just perfectly and beautifully but I just couldn't pull the trigger on such a cool color.  I wanted warmth.  I asked the young man helping me:  "what is your best painting tip?"  He smiled and said:  "be sure to put down drop cloths."  He was right.  I knew that from experience.  He took a look at my paint choice and asked me if I was painting a garage or basement. "No" I replied, "I'm painting a girl's room." 

Once home, thankfully the room had already been patched, sanded, washed and taped off.  Grabbing a brush and paint bucket I got busy. 

Almost from the start I could have used a hand.  I do not like painting alone.  The entire process is easier with someone to talk with and laugh with.  And believe me there are plenty of things to laugh about...or...at.  Like my thinking I had stepped on the first rung of the ladder when I had really been two steps high and KERSPLAT, right on my rear I tumbled.  And *snap* not a single splatter of paint.  I'm good that way. 

After a little cutting in I was beginning to think I made a mistake.  The new color looked like a facial mask--a mud mask, I tell ya!  Was I really prepared to cover the walls?  After all, if these walls could talk they would tell of late night tears and sorrows; late night dreams and pondering life's journeys; late night stories being read by Momma; early morning tickle-fests; dressing for prom and homecoming and oh the laughter!  I can still hear the little girl voices laughing and laughing in that room!  Was I really ready to paint over those talking walls?  I wasn't ready at all.  Only one thing to do.  Take a break; wipe my tears, and eat lunch.

After I cut in I stepped back and took another good look. 

I still wasn't thrilled but kept going.

At last she was done.

Notice I've left the tape on the walls; the drop cloths on the furniture and the ladder in the room.  I've given myself 3 days to fall in love with it or do something else.  I've already set aside an array of paint chips while my creative juices are on high alert.

I'm only speculating but I think I need to visit my home improvement store; track down my helpful sales fella and let him know my favorite painting tip:  hire someone else to do it!  Because that's how I roll!

Don't Do This At Home

She needed a desk so that she could keep up with her summer homework. Yes. Summer homework. In our family we like to do  things together during the summer, casting off homework and assignments but apparently schools don't have the same ideas.  That's a topic for another post.

We got here and nestled into lovely surroundings in the middle of a beautiful wood only 200 yards from the Lake.  THEE LAKE we call her.  She murmurs to us with each crashing wave:  "come back to me.  Dip your tired feet into my cool water..."  but again, I digress.

Like I said, she needed a desk so that she could keep up with her summer assignments.  The day after our arrival we hauled ourselves off to the nearest Lowe's.  A family friend had been using Valspar's spray paint:  the 2 in 1 primer and paint and recommended we try it.  We took her advice and figured we'd give it a whirl.

After a few minutes in Lowe's she settled on a bright yellow gloss.  Once we got back to the house, I set about sanding the desk and against all I've known to do to paint almost any surface, I did not use a primer.  Remember Valspar's 2 in 1 primer and paint in a can should do the trick.  Right?

Hark!  Do not ever try this at home.  Trust me on this one.  A primer would have been far better than the 2 in 1 fancy-schmancy product I tried.  This small desk took four cans and it could still take 2 more cans easily.  I do not think the coverage is sufficient and I do not like seeing the shades of what was once the brown of the original desk, peeking through the 2 in 1 paint and primer, glossy yellow.  Since the weather here is humid it usually takes four to five days drying time between coats which was simply too long to spend on this project and diminished the convenience of a 2 in 1 product.  So you understand my experience.

Here is the before: 
and after: 


I'm only speculating but I'm sure this sunny, cheery piece will brighten her days and make for enLIGHTened learning.  Sunny side up!

Pucker Up!

Not long ago I saw a few seconds of Giada DeLaurentiis' cooking show.  The episode where her Aunt Raffy was joining in the fun.  She brought along with her a tin of dried lemon slices. I couldn't wait until my tree was loaded and I could get busy.

Today is the day.

We picked the lemons.  Washed them.  Then sliced them into quarter-inch rounds.


Then into the oven at 250 degrees for two hours.  Turn each slice over then back in the oven for another 2 hours.  Cool on racks and you'll have plenty of dried lemons to take you through summer.  Think tea, lemonade, couscous, quinoa salad, tabbouleh and grilled salmon!  Mmm-mmm.

I'm only speculating, but I think I'll be puckered-up all summer.