DoItMyself

Painting the Bedroom - Painting Tips!

Not totally a DIY endeavor, but it sort of is - we DID paint it ourselves!  For our first time painting I think we did a pretty good job ;)

This is what the room looked like before.  The color is Dare Devil Red.  I hated it from the start.  Not only was it slightly creepy, but it was too dark for the size of the room.  Being that the room only has one window and light source, we needed a color that would make it look bigger, more refreshing, and could withstand our creative endeavors. 

It had to go!  We primed the room twice.  That was tedious and messy and annoying, to say the least.  But is primer EVER easy?  We did two coats and called it a day.

The next evening, we banged out the color.  The paint went on a lot easier than the primer, and we got it down a lot quicker too.  It came out so nice, don’t you think?

Tips for painting:

• Dust before you paint!  Otherwise you will be stuck with gross, fuzzy bumps.
• “Watch” a movie as you paint.  In another room, put on a film you are familiar with and enjoy, preferably one that is dialogue heavy.  We played Superbad and Knocked Up.  It helped the time pass quickly and we had a good time laughing at the jokes. 
• If there are any holes or crevices, a thick layer of paint over it will help, but if they are too big, make a quick spackle using toothpaste.  Do this BEFORE you paint, or in the very least, after you prime.
• Use painter’s tape to edge things like molding, radiators and ceilings.  Trying to eyeball it ends up being messier and time consuming.  You will still have to touch up afterward but it will be minimal.
• Keep paper towels around to wipe away any little mistakes.  A wet paper towel will take away latex paint easily if the paint is still fresh.
• Newspapers make for excellent places to rest brushes and rollers when moving ladders and paint cans.
• Wrap brushes with Saran Wrap in between uses.  They won’t dry out this way.
• Use paint trays for rollers, and grab some Tupperwear containers for edging with a smaller brush.  Place a ziploc or sandwich bag inside the container and hold it tightly using a rubber band.  No mess and no need to waste containers!
• Keep a pumice stone and some exfoliating body scrub in your bathroom.  You will be happy you did when it comes to scraping off paint from your body!

Book Lamp!

neversaygood-bye:

So, lately I’ve been getting back into crafting things. The latest and greatest thing that I’ve made is this lamp made of books! I didn’t have the $55 to shell out for this lamp, so I decided that I would make my own.

I love love love it!  If you want to read more of the process, keep reading.

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