lessons through painting

Every month, I get the Better Homes and Gardens magazine in the mail.  Some months, there are things in there that totally inspire me.  I usually cut those things out and put them in my home décor binder.  Other months, not so much.  Then there are the times where I open it up, and BAM, I could swear that it was made just for me that month. 

I casually opened this month's issue and was making my way through it, when I turned the page and if music could have started playing, and the room could have had fireworks, it would have happened.

I have been stumped for the last several months, over how to paint our loft/bonus area upstairs.  It is a TV/game/lounge/reading room, that all of the kids bedrooms surround.  It is a HUGE reason we loved this house plan.  Well, one of the reasons anyway.

There is a reading nook built into the wall up there (it just needs the shelves in it now), a TV and some big poofy leather couches.

Anyway, when I saw this picture in the magazine, I knew it was exactly how I wanted to paint the room.  I then realized, that this would be the last weekend we would be home, for over a month, so it was now or never.

I ran to the store, got the paint and supplies and went to work.

Just the taping and measuring took me...ready for this...6 HOURS!!!  Yup, 6 hours.  Up and down the stool, hanging the string with the weight at the bottom, to get the lines straight, taping the lines, and doing this over and over and over again.  It was not fun, nope, not at all.

the wrench was the weight on the string, to get the lines straight.  I had to re-tape it to the ceiling for each line.



lots of taping

and more taping

And then I pained.  That was actually fun, and only took about 2 hours.

When I first started painting, I freaked out, because the paint did not look gray.  It looked too light.  I let it dry and then looked at it again, and it looked great.  Few!

I let the room dry overnight, and the next morning, I gave the kids permission to rip all of the tape down.  My 6 hours of work.  The kids LOVED it and laughed their heads off.

Then I went up there, and I almost died.  The stripes were PURPLE!!  Not gray, but purple.  The room looked like a circus tent.  A big giant, purple striped circus tent!  I couldn't believe.  I also couldn't believe that I had just let the kids rip all of the tape off.  Instead of just having to repaint the room, I now had to re tape it again.  aaarrrggghhhh  I was so, so, so sad, and very discouraged.  How could grey paint, just morph into purple overnight.  Boo!

 

It took me the next 24 hours to sulk, pout, inwardly scream, dream up the scenario that I it would just turn back to gray, and boob around, before I got the gusto to start all over again.  BOO!!!

This happened on a Sunday, and it took a lot to not go to the store, buy everything, and start over right then. I knew I only had one day left, and it would be so nice to have Ben home to take the kids while I worked.  I didn't do it. It really was hard, and a big test, but I prevailed, and I used it as a lesson to teach my kids about not breaking the Sabbath day.  Not sure they could relate my huge desire to tape and paint as being difficult to reign in, but I think they got the idea.  I held my ground.  Go me.  I went to bed resigned to the fact that the room probably would not be done for about a month.

By some miracle today, the kids all slept in until 9:00!!!  My kids are all usually up and going by 7:30.  William is always up at 6:30. William was the only one that woke up early today.  I had time to run to the store, grab milk, GRAY paint (that won't turn purple), and lots of tape.

I even had time to get a lot of taping done...again, before the others woke up.  William just sat by me and talked about the fascinating world he lives in.  It was a small miracle, and I was grateful.

Luke was easy and happy this morning, and I was able to complete the taping, even though all the kids were awake.  Another miracle.

And then Luke took a 4 hour nap!  I finished all of the painting.  The other kids were content to play outside and come in to hang out every once in a while.  HUGE miracle.

It took me 6 hours to do it all, but somehow I had the time to do it today.  Normally, I am lucky to find 20 minutes to myself at any given time of day. 

As I sat pondering the miracle of it all later this afternoon, I had a little feeling that it really was a blessing, not just a lucky day.  I kept the Sabbath Day holy, and was in turn, greatly blessed.  I am humbled.  Small thing, but big lesson.

Tonight, after the paint is dry, I will let the kids rip the tape off again, put the room back together, add a few new things, and then post pictures.  I must say...it is so cute!!!!