You Can Paint Anything

I recently acquired a patio umbrella for free.  I’ve been looking for a turquoise umbrella and have yet to find a big one in that color that I could afford.  So when I received this free, large but dated umbrella, I had plans for it.

Here’s a picture of what it resembled, only mine was 80s pastels.

Break out the turquoise spray paint.

I used three cans of paint on this baby, which is approximately $12.  I think that’s a pretty good buy.  And while it didn’t cover the former stripes, it did leave the umbrella turquoise. And in the bright sunshine, it has a little bit of a tie-dyed effect.

Tie-Dyed Umbrella

But it does the job and it looks the part.

Umbrella & Table

Esh, I can’t wait to get rid of those hunter green shutters from 1996.

All this does is make me want to finish the door into table project I’ve started but haven’t completed yet.  That’s a story for another day.

Door into Table

Oh, and that umbrella stand is a 5 gallon bucket spray painted and filled with cement with a paint roller as an insert.  Cause that’s the “Sticks” in Style from the Sticks.  🙂

Proof that you can paint just about anything.

#decorating #homedecor

Shutter Shellac

I’ve been into the spray paint.  I KNOW my neighbors think I’m the crazy spray paint lady. And that’s okay.  Because they are probably right.

If you’ve read this blog for awhile, you know I have a painting problem.  I’ve even had people drop used cans of paint off to me.  I’m starting some sort of strange collection.  I have a hard time passing the reject cans of paint on the sale shelf at Menards.  Oh so many uses!

Here’s another thing you know about me if you’ve read this blog, I dislike the color black. While it used to be only a dislike for black clothing, my dislike has now crept into my home decor as well.  It just feels so dated and gloomy.  I love bright, happy and cheerful.  Read bright colors and white.

I’ve been on a mission the irradicate the MAJORITY of my black.  I say majority because every home needs a few black pieces.  But I will not be following the latest trend of painting my interior doors black.  No thank you.

And if you’ve ever painted anything black, it can be really tricky and involve many layers of paint to turn a black piece into a light piece.  So before you pick up that bottle of black spray paint or black paint can, be sure you know that it should really be that color.

Case in point, I have these two old shutters that I’m positive I purchased for a whole $5 about ten years ago.  They aren’t even wood, just plastic.  But they seemed to be what I’ve been missing on either side of my dining room hutch.

Problem is, they are black.  And I’m WAY tired of black.  Break out the spray paint!

I could have tried to make these babies white, but that would have involved many, many layers of white.  And I just didn’t think white was the color for my dining room, since it is the moodiest room on my main floor.  So I chose a dusty grey/blue color.  It’s called Valspar’s Cobalt Cannon.

When you’re painting shutters, spray paint is your friend.  Getting into every little nook and cranny can be a major paint with regular paint.  Spray paint makes it a cinch.

Here are my shutters getting their coats of paint-

Shutters During Painting

And here’s that dining room wall before-

Just the Hutch

Here’s the after-

Hutch with Shutters

Worth the paint!

#decorating #homedecor

Pack It All In

Yesterday was a busy day.  So sorry I missed you!  And this is the last week of July!  Who’s not depressed by that?!

I am choosing not to be depressed.  I could look at my summer bucket list and all that I have not crossed off yet and be sad.  Or I could look at the last few weeks of summer as a chance to squeeze in as much fun as possible.  And I also can reflect on all the wonderful days we’ve spent with friends and busy with life, accomplishing so much.

I’m going to focus on the positive.  And I’m also going to get busy.  I have projects to start to finish and to dream about.

And I’m going to show you anything that I’ve been working on.

Don’t be down!  Savor each day like the gift it is!  And be sure to pack it all in.

#summerprojects