1.26.2010

A project... or three..

For the past few weeks, I've been a workin' fool. Sitting at the computer all day every day has taken its toll on my shoulders, back, and mental well being. So, I hit it hard this morning and got (almost) everything I wanted to get done accomplished and started thinking of a project to do.

I needed to get up.

I needed a mental health day.

I needed to get paint.. I would say "under my fingernails", but I am unfortunately a nail biter who fell of the wagon at Thanksgiving. I have no nails to get paint under... But still.. I needed to DO something other than work, laundry, and walking the dog.

Dustin recently made the mistake comment that he'd be ok if I painted the bonus room. This is now also my office.. and the place where the treadmill is... and a tv... and everything else that we don't know where to put it.

We're not ready to buy the 25 gallons of primer that it will take, so I decided to plan the room a little bit. Today, I started with some of the furniture. Since there was at least an inch of snow outside, the bonus room also became my workshop.

The previous owners of our house, left us this bulletin board when they left. I've always liked it, but have always wanted to paint it.  Victim number 1 was located....


Then, I saw this coffee table that Dustin's younger sister gave us. She had it black and "beat up", as Dustin calls it. I painted it flat black. (you can see the spray paint marks I left as I did it....) Victim number 2.


 
*Please ignore Ellie in EVERY shot that I took. She acted like she had never seen any of this stuff before...

And, finally.... Dustin's older sister gave us this entertainment center that was once his parents. We got it when I was pregnant with Lane, so I wasn't able to paint it then. She painted it white and "beat it up". It looked really good, but after we moved it, it looked a bit too rough. And it just needed freshened up a little.. Victim number 3....




Here's another look at the entertainment center... It is a really cool piece. I am happy to have it!


This room is pretty big and has 6 windows and a door to the outside. I want it to feel big and airy. I'm envisioning light blue/green, white, khaki....

These three pieces all got a coat of white paint today. I want to crackle them (something I've never done) with white and the blue/greenish color. I know the entertainment center was already white.. but it got a coat today too. I wanted to cover up the wood that was showing through and I just think it is good to start with a nice, crisp base.

At one point.. and still right now, the room started to look like this. (and this is only a portion of the carnage)


I started running out of things to prop pieces up on to paint and dry. Desperate times call for desperate measures...
I have shelves on two trash cans and this candle stick. The door for the entertainment center is leaning on the treadmill (at least it is being used!) and the bulletin board is on an ottoman on its side (that I plan to recover too). I had to prep Dustin before he got home. He is a one-project-at-a-time kinda guy. But, since I am doing the same thing to all of these pieces, it makes sense to do them at once like this-- in my mind anyway... :)

I had a lot of help along the way. Ellie was present for all the photos. As I was finishing up, Sophie made an appearance. She helped long enough to step in the lid of the paint can, shake her foot as she ran all across the carpet and somehow managed to paint the tv that I had removed from the entertainment center so I could paint it. Silly me, not wanting to get paint in the tv....



 Helping me paint the carpet and tv was exhausting. She's going to the vet tomorrow to get spayed... right along with her little white back foot. Don't her legs look freakishly long? :) Poor Sophie :) Margot was busy holding the sheets down on the bed today. She was unable to make it for any of the work or photos... there is always tomorrow..

 

Tomorrow I also plan to go pick out the green/blue that I am going to use and pick up the crackle stuff. (I know, I'm so technical with my terms...).

I wish I had more progress to show, but I am happy with my few hours of work! I hope to have these done by the weekend so I can post all the pics then and have a before and after post ready to share at all the linky parties. I've been a party pooper and haven't been able to join lately.

Now I guess I need to work on getting that paint out of the carpet, off the tv, and out from in between her toes.. ew.



PS~ Did you notice that ALL Of these pieces were FREE?!?! My favorite kind. And, we already had the white paint, so other than having to replace a room full of carpet (haha) this has been a totally free project!

Check out the buttons on the right where I like to share and get ideas. You'll get more ideas than you have time for. They are great!!! I'm sharing this post with  A Soft Place To Land and Trash to Treasure, and Blue Cricket Design. Fireflies and Jellybeans Tales From Bloggeritaville
Miss Mustard Seed
My Romantic Home
Finding Fabulous For Less
Cottage Instincts 

15 comments:

  1. You go girl!!!!!
    (I have a friend who sometimes spray paints in her living room!)
    You're courageous!
    annie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the entertainment center - what a great piece! Can't wait to see the end results!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! You are going to be busy! I can't wait to see how they all turn out!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey Shannon, I love your energy! I also LOVE that entertainment center. Great buy! Its going to be fabulous put together!
    Great work!


    Thanks for linking up to Thrifty Thursday!

    Leigh

    Tales from Bloggertiaville

    www.lbratina.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, girl, you scored some fabulous free stuff! I love your idea for the crackle finish, can't wait to see it! Thanks for linking up, don't work TOO hard! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mercy...I have the same entertaiment unit...although mine is still the wood...Looks nice painted too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I can't wait to see this finished!! It is going to be great! Love the "helper"! I have 4 cats and my youngest one does the same thing!! so nice to have extra painters isn't it?

    I am a follower!

    Lou Cinda

    ReplyDelete
  8. My word! You are certainly going to be busy! I look forward to seeing how they all turn out.

    ~ Tracy

    ReplyDelete
  9. ooo, exciting! and it took me a minute to figure out what was going on in that photo of your cat, but once it hit me - hysterical. :)
    i have gray paw prints on my white window sills from where my cats tracked wet paint from when i painted my sitting room months ago.... i have no intention of covering them up :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Paint can be a wonderful friend to furniture. Your piece looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hey, those are some fabulous finds! Thanks for linkin' up to Frugalicious Friday, and I can't wait to see how it all comes together!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love that entertainment center. I love free stuff! Well, cool free stuff. A fresh coat of white paint makes just about anything look better. Nice work.

    ReplyDelete
  13. You have been busy, that is alot of painting!
    But you are on a role, so keep it up!
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  14. You go, girl! I painted nearly all my rooms last year - well, actually, it was Hubs. We used Behr paint-n-primer & LOVED it!
    Crackle is my arch nemesis. And I love crackled furniture. But Crackle & stencils - for some reason, I'm just inept with those.
    Can't wait to see your finished projects!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails