Welcome to my prairie!

Introducing, Prairie Willow! I had the most difficult time deciding upon the perfect shade of green to compliment the counter top in the kitchen. Finally, I narrowed it down to about three and asked Doug to choose. He chose "Prairie Willow." I told him that he chose it because it was the "bluest" of the three greens and he said "what do you mean- blue? It is green." Men will never understand that you can have a blue-green, a yellow-green, an orange-green...they just don't get it. To them it is so very simple. Green is green. first coat tonight

this shows the green and cream side by side

I told you before of how I have the most particular thoughts while I'm painting. Perhaps it is the fumes, or just the way my mind wanders when I am being artistic. Doug came home and asked me how I got the lines so straight at the top of the room- where the green meets the white. I said "I'm going to blog about it, so you can learn all about it, then."

I like to use the chiseled wedge foam brush- the smallest size. First, I load it with just enough paint, not so much that it drips, and then I push one color up to the edge of the next. You just want to introduce the two colors together enough that they kiss just a little. Then you hope that the two take to one another and embrace each other.

Now, where would someone get such a "special" way of describing how they bring two different colors of paint one to the other? I remembered all of the times I would watch the painting guy- Bob Ross. He was always so soothing- painting happy trees and fluffy little clouds. So calming. He passed away in '95, but his show is still on re-runs sometimes. Bob Ross painting fluffy clouds.

Do any of you remember him? He was a very gentle, calming man. I would just lay on the sofa and watch him paint and relax. Not so relaxing when I am the one doing the painting- but I can still have peaceful thoughts in the meantime!

Who cares what you wear?

Tonight I put the first coat of paint over the primer on the cabinets

while Doug shot some photos for me.

I thought I would share the latest in painting wear here in Indiana. t-shirt and shorts, already stained with paintgarden crocs and old smiley face socks

catch those luxurious locks up in a bandanna I like this small tray and roller, especially for the cabinets

When I went in to Lowe's, I told the salesman what I wanted to do and basically bought what he told me to buy. I bought the oil based primer which he mixed my paint color (Churchill Hotel Ivory) into and then bought the paint he told me to buy. Because we live near the woods, from time to time we have moisture issues. The paint has a lifetime warranty and is Ultra Premium by Valspar Interior Kitchen and Bath enamel, mildew proof. I think this is some of the best paint I've ever used (no endorsement from Lowe's for saying this). It goes on smooth and even. The salesman advised me to buy a small sponge roller and it works great on the cabinets. I also prefer the wedge cut sponge daubers for edges and corners.

getting there

I had some peculiar thoughts as I painted tonight. I have a desk job at the university and my mind can't wander. I can't be thinking about other things while I'm working on a spreadsheet. I need to get the names of chancellors and deans and trustees correctly and must record the correct amounts of payments in the correct columns. Painting is something you can do, and do correctly, while letting one's mind wander. I was thinking about how when I was ten years old, the first year I went to established camp in Girl Scouts that my mother made a fine bedside table for me to take with me. She took an old crate, put in a shelf, painted it white and added a blue towel to the front for a curtain and voila! I had one of the best bedside tables of anyone at camp. Wasn't that nice of her? And I also thought about my paternal Grandma, of how my kitchen is beginning to remind me of hers. I suppose I've always fashioned my home after her home. Her home was welcoming and comfortable. I felt safe and loved when I was there. And if I recall correctly, I believe at one point, her kitchen cabinets were cream with celery green walls. I'm quite certain she is looking down on me and smiling.

I also thought about my friend Jeanna and I. She told me she would come over and help me paint, just because she enjoys painting. I thought about how much fun we would have if we started a part-time painting business and was even thinking up names for said business...Two gals with brushes, Have brush will paint, Two old broads with lots of energy...as I said, my mind was wandering. I will finish the second coat of paint tomorrow night. Took me about three and a half hours tonight, but I believe it will go faster tomorrow evening. Then to finish the doors and put them back on. We are going to soak and clean the old hinges and then spray paint to coordinate with the new knobs.

Prime time

Today we started priming the cabinets. It was pouring rain outdoors, so it seemed like a good day to get started. I didn't talk him into tearing down a wall yet, but I did get him to take out the cabinets over the refrigerator. I didn't have anything in there, couldn't reach them without getting up on a chair. So, outta here! this is where Doug pulled out the cabinets over the refrigerator
Stuffing newspaper over the items

in the cabinets was Doug's solution.
This way, we didn't have to take everything out of the cabinets.
starting to prime

First, we sanded. Then, I scrubbed everything down. Then we started to prime. I probably won't be able to move tomorrow. I hope I can because we are hoping to start painting. I was surprised at how quick we accomplished so much. Unfortunately, the oil primer gave me nausea and a headache, so we went out to dinner.

The cabinets will be cream, the walls celery green.

Here we go again

Do you remember last August or September when we started working on our kitchen? I primed and painted the ceiling and bulkhead. In the process, I got more paint on my body than on the ceiling and bulkhead. We were supposed to be hosting Doug's family for Thanksgiving, or so we thought. We were using the holiday as our motivator. One day I was talking to Doug's sister on the phone and she told me that we were not hosting. Basically, our kitchen re-do came to a screaming halt. And then we hosted my family! When it was still warm, Doug said we would get to the painting when it cooled off and we weren't outdoors every opportunity we could get. Then, when it cooled off, he said we couldn't paint because of using oil based primer and paint. You get the picture.
Since it has started to warm up, he has announced that we would get back at the kitchen re-do. So he started taking all of the cabinet fronts off of the cabinets and all of the drawer fronts off of the drawers. It makes it much easier to see where things are, but here are a few photos of how the kitchen looks currently.

(we have to put our bread in the cabinet so the cats don't get into it)

outlet covers have been gone since last August or September when I took them off and ripped off all of the ugly wallpaper.

switch plate covers have been gone as well

once I took them off, I wasn't putting them back on!

I will keep you posted as to how it goes. The cabinets are cheap, the kitchen (entire house) is dark and I am going to paint the cabinets cream color and have celery green walls. Should lighten up the kitchen a lot.

I want to rip out the wall between the kitchen and dining room, but haven't been able to convince Doug of that, yet. He is afraid the ceiling will fall in. The dining room has a sliding glass door and it would really lighten up the kitchen. All you women send me some convincing karma, okay?We will see where I get with that idea.

I even managed to get some on the ceiling

The Duggles used to be a professional painter. Meaning that he was paid to paint in the dorms, back in the day. He can put a brush to a wall and dreaw a straight line. I, on the other hand, am not a professional. Do I look like a professional?
Don't answer that.

I have never painted a ceiling with a long pole. I've always used a tray and stood on a ladder. The Duggles says this is the way that professionals do it.

I did my best, but try as I might, I think I got more paint on myself than I did on the ceiling.

I wore goggles and I kept my mouth shut.

Head to toe...

I was covered in paint.

I got in the shower and dug yelled through the door
"is it coming off?"

"yes."

A couple of good scrubbings and I'll be good as new.

Meanwhile, we have a snowy white kitchen ceiling.