I've been neglecting painting in order to get the space I work in in order. I been in the process of moving my studio/workroom to the largest guest bedroom but a visit from our oldest has galvanized me to drop everything else and get it done. I've had a room dedicated to painting but it seemed like I always end up working on the dining room table. I think I'm like my old kitty, I needed to be where the action is. I'm hoping this redu will make me WANT to work here as well as making it easier to do so.
One huge side effect of the move was that I was forced to go through all my craft stuff and I've seriously edited. I've taken a load of stuff to the ARC thrift store and the car is loaded up again for another trip. It's been a good thing to let go of a lot of this stuff. I took a hard look at what I had and if I wasn't going to use it - out it went. It's like wearing new underwear! It feels great!.
I got so inspired I repainted the room. I wanted a soft neutral taupe on the walls. The plan includes painting my storage pieces white. Then I would have pops of color from art on the wall, quilts and my work in process. I knew I would need at least 2 coats of paint - the room was a dark blue, a left over from BLBaby's high school colors. I bought a gallon and I'm grateful it took two gallons. I think I'm pretty good at picking colors but I really blew it on the first coat. I know that color can intensify from what you think you are getting on the chip to actual practice on the wall. Thinking of that I became too timid. I remember the 80's too well, and the basic color everything was painted in was a cool off white usually called Navaho White. I've painted it out everywhere I encountered it - but there it was on my wall. I got the 2nd gallon much darker - Behr Pecan Sandie. Much warmer, it reminded me of light chocolate milk and makes me happy. The white and my color pops will do great.
The one piece that I have painted a robin egg blue is my sewing station and it will stay that way. I never did a before on this but here is the after.
My youngest moved into unfurnished student housing last fall and wanted the computer desk that Best Loved Hubby had rescued from work (got for free). I had been using it for the sewing maching but I took pity on the Kid and let him take it. (Who am I to discourage a homework station). I set out to replace it and hit pay dirt the first day all at my favorite Flea Market. The bottom is a drop leaf table had lost one of the leaves but the legs were sturdy. It was $4.00. I had a top to an entertainment center that had not worked out (another story) so I screwed it to the top of the table from the underneath with drywall screws. This gave me a great worksurface and covered up all but a little bit of the half circle leaf of the table so I removed that side also. The same shopping trip scored me the bookcase top for $8.00. It was falling apart but some screws took care of it. I had planned to just set this on the top of the table but BLHubby was concerned it would fall on me and insisted I get some angle brackets (Ace Hardware $5.00) to secure it to the table top. A good idea. I primed the whole thing with Glidden Gripper high adhesive primer. (I bought a whole gallon but have used it on some other stuff. These pieces were just junk and were covered in vinyl laminate. I was afraid that my favorite Kiltz wouldn't stick well. The Gripper has done great.) Top coat of paint - $13.50.
Total cost - under $40.00. Not exactly free but look at the results.
I still need to paint the storage pieces (all free over the years) white and hang art but we are in business.
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