Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
New Project
So I've had this old white desk for a few years now that my cousin gave me when I needed furniture after moving into an apartment by myself. It had been sloppily painted white, with ugly red knobs on the drawers, but I kept imaging how pretty it would be if I stripped it down and stained or repainted it. Here I am almost 3 years later and I've finally decided to tackle this project.
I've been thinking about painting it black. I think black furniture in a bedroom would look really great, plus black is easy to incorporate a color scheme around. I bought this stuff called Klean-Strip Stripper. Its in an aerosol can and you spray it really thick over the painted surface and it bubbles the paint up, then you can scraped it off smoothly. Pretty cool stuff. It took my 3 full coats on my three drawers to get even close to the bottom.
First was the sloppy, thick white paint. Next was an awful pink coat. Then there was a tan layer. Then green, then black, then the wood. I couldn't believe how many times it had been painted. By the time I scraped/sanded off any thick paint, I was left with something I'm not quite sure how I feel about.
It looks like it was painted black, sanded down smooth, then painted green, sanded down smooth, then painted tan. So the stripper isn't eating off the black and green. But when I sand it by hand, its giving it an antiqued look that I am falling in love with. The picture doesn't do it justice - its blurry and looks yellow. But imagine an old chalkboard thats greyed and no longer black. Thats the underneath color. Then this gorgeous green I would imagine as a color of some bird's egg, like a pastel baby green. Together, they are beautiful. I'm imagining it in a big open kitchen, with silver knobs. Maybe I'll paint the desk a slate color and keep the drawers the slate/green. I don't know, but this project is completely different than when it started.
I've been thinking about painting it black. I think black furniture in a bedroom would look really great, plus black is easy to incorporate a color scheme around. I bought this stuff called Klean-Strip Stripper. Its in an aerosol can and you spray it really thick over the painted surface and it bubbles the paint up, then you can scraped it off smoothly. Pretty cool stuff. It took my 3 full coats on my three drawers to get even close to the bottom.
First was the sloppy, thick white paint. Next was an awful pink coat. Then there was a tan layer. Then green, then black, then the wood. I couldn't believe how many times it had been painted. By the time I scraped/sanded off any thick paint, I was left with something I'm not quite sure how I feel about.
It looks like it was painted black, sanded down smooth, then painted green, sanded down smooth, then painted tan. So the stripper isn't eating off the black and green. But when I sand it by hand, its giving it an antiqued look that I am falling in love with. The picture doesn't do it justice - its blurry and looks yellow. But imagine an old chalkboard thats greyed and no longer black. Thats the underneath color. Then this gorgeous green I would imagine as a color of some bird's egg, like a pastel baby green. Together, they are beautiful. I'm imagining it in a big open kitchen, with silver knobs. Maybe I'll paint the desk a slate color and keep the drawers the slate/green. I don't know, but this project is completely different than when it started.
I haven't made any sure decisions yet. I'm going to finish up the final drawer, and do the desk, and survey what I have at hand. I'm thinking about getting silver knobs very soon...like today...because I can't NOT use the desk for the weeks its going to be before I get the whole thing finished, but I can't stand the way those stupid red handles look. Any ideas? Black knobs? Silver? White? Black desk? Desk matching the drawers? I have too many options!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm feeling overwhelmed.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Mason Jars Saved My Life
I don't know what I ever did before I discovered the greatness of mason jars. If you do not have these in your life 100%, you are not living. Using one every now and then doesn't count; these things are so great.
LETTUCE
We chop up our lettuce and stuff it in mason jars. One stuffed-to-the-max jar makes a perfect size dinner salad. It also keeps FOREVER. I think the longest I've gone before eating my lettuce was 2 weeks. 2 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!! Granted, it was starting to be a little wilty, but 2 weeks in the fridge should have turned it from pink to brown to DEAD. When I have jars full of lettuce in the fridge, its easy for me to just grab it and go in the morning...perfect, simple lunch.
FRUIT
Way back when I made crepes for breakfast, I sliced up my strawberries and bananas the night before. Bananas....sorta like avocados and apples, they turn brown FAST. Well this picture was the day after, and look how NOT brown they are! They stayed fresh in there for a few days, actually. It was fantastic. No more brown 'nanas!
DRINKS
You have no idea how fun it is to drink out of a mason jar until you've actually tried it.
SALSA
I made a batch of my mom's salsa and canned it. It was perfect because I could share with everyone. You want some salsa?...here, have a jar. AMAZING. And this is embarrassing, but yes its 9:43 AM and I just successfully ate half a jar of salsa. Told you it was good!
LETTUCE
We chop up our lettuce and stuff it in mason jars. One stuffed-to-the-max jar makes a perfect size dinner salad. It also keeps FOREVER. I think the longest I've gone before eating my lettuce was 2 weeks. 2 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!! Granted, it was starting to be a little wilty, but 2 weeks in the fridge should have turned it from pink to brown to DEAD. When I have jars full of lettuce in the fridge, its easy for me to just grab it and go in the morning...perfect, simple lunch.
FRUIT
Way back when I made crepes for breakfast, I sliced up my strawberries and bananas the night before. Bananas....sorta like avocados and apples, they turn brown FAST. Well this picture was the day after, and look how NOT brown they are! They stayed fresh in there for a few days, actually. It was fantastic. No more brown 'nanas!
DRINKS
You have no idea how fun it is to drink out of a mason jar until you've actually tried it.
SALSA
I made a batch of my mom's salsa and canned it. It was perfect because I could share with everyone. You want some salsa?...here, have a jar. AMAZING. And this is embarrassing, but yes its 9:43 AM and I just successfully ate half a jar of salsa. Told you it was good!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Best Birthday Ever
My sweet boyfriend threw me a surprise birthday party this past weekend since I was turning the big 25 (woohoo, I can rent a car without paying an extra fee now!!!!!!!!!!!)
I've never had a surprise party before, but he did a pretty great job.
We were supposed to be going to a friends house for a costume party. He came over early to get ready with me and drive me...he said he was picking me up so I didn't have to drive since it was my birthday. I fell for that one. Little did I know that the whole time he was at my house, all my friends were sneaking about getting things ready. I was actually mad at him when he finally showed up to my house around 6:30 because it was MY BIRTHDAY and I'd been sitting at home, bored and alone, a good part of the day. RUDE!!!
We left my house around 8:30. I tried to convince him to stop for food because I was starving, and to stop for candy for my Little Red Riding Hood basket, but he said we would stop on the way to his friends. Fine.
Then he blindfolded me at the stop sign by his home. Well, I blindfolded myself. He had these ridiculous claw fingernails on and couldn't use his fingers. When we walked in the house and he uncovered my eyes, everyone yelled and I swear an entire minute went by before I could even form a solid thought in my head or speak.
I remember that every single face I saw, a thought would flit through my head about where they had told me they were supposed to be. Amanda...aren't you supposed to be with your boyfriend at a friends? Janell...you were helping get things together for Lindsey's party that you HAD to go to because you bailed on her last year for my birthday. Alisha...Didn't you have plans with your sister?
It slowly started forming in my head that omg everyone, EVERYONE, had lied to me for weeks! EEVVERRYYOONNNEEEE. Even my sisters who had called me to tell me happy birthday THAT MORNING! I finally found my voice and brain and started saying hello. It was so overwhelming, but fantastic! As the night went on, more and more people came to wish me happy birthday, I felt soooo loved!!!!!
I'm not sure my boyfriend will ever be able to outdo himself again! He was so proud!!! =P
I've never had a surprise party before, but he did a pretty great job.
We were supposed to be going to a friends house for a costume party. He came over early to get ready with me and drive me...he said he was picking me up so I didn't have to drive since it was my birthday. I fell for that one. Little did I know that the whole time he was at my house, all my friends were sneaking about getting things ready. I was actually mad at him when he finally showed up to my house around 6:30 because it was MY BIRTHDAY and I'd been sitting at home, bored and alone, a good part of the day. RUDE!!!
We left my house around 8:30. I tried to convince him to stop for food because I was starving, and to stop for candy for my Little Red Riding Hood basket, but he said we would stop on the way to his friends. Fine.
Then he blindfolded me at the stop sign by his home. Well, I blindfolded myself. He had these ridiculous claw fingernails on and couldn't use his fingers. When we walked in the house and he uncovered my eyes, everyone yelled and I swear an entire minute went by before I could even form a solid thought in my head or speak.
I remember that every single face I saw, a thought would flit through my head about where they had told me they were supposed to be. Amanda...aren't you supposed to be with your boyfriend at a friends? Janell...you were helping get things together for Lindsey's party that you HAD to go to because you bailed on her last year for my birthday. Alisha...Didn't you have plans with your sister?
It slowly started forming in my head that omg everyone, EVERYONE, had lied to me for weeks! EEVVERRYYOONNNEEEE. Even my sisters who had called me to tell me happy birthday THAT MORNING! I finally found my voice and brain and started saying hello. It was so overwhelming, but fantastic! As the night went on, more and more people came to wish me happy birthday, I felt soooo loved!!!!!
I'm not sure my boyfriend will ever be able to outdo himself again! He was so proud!!! =P
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Circus!!
I went to the circus for the first time since I was too young to remember the event. Seeing it as an adult made me realize how sad the animals lives must be living in cages all day, and how strange some of the people working in the circus are.
None the less, the elephants were most definitely my favorite act. They even had a baby elephant that went right along with the big ones just like it was supposed to. It was precious. It made me want an elephant. Just like I wanted a chameleon after watching tangled. And a zebra after getting to pet one.I still want all of those, btw.
Some day......
None the less, the elephants were most definitely my favorite act. They even had a baby elephant that went right along with the big ones just like it was supposed to. It was precious. It made me want an elephant. Just like I wanted a chameleon after watching tangled. And a zebra after getting to pet one.I still want all of those, btw.
Some day......
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