Bless My Heart

*NOTE* this post is long. I haven't posted any updates for a while, so I've got a lot to say.

When you move to the South, you learn a couple of things. Humidity exists on a daily basis, you must learn to live with it. Strangers will talk to you in the elevator, and expect you to reply (none of this "I don't know you so I am going to stare at the door like I am by myself" business like we do in Seattle). Barbeque is sacred. And, "bless his/her/your heart" is a thinly veiled way of saying "what an idiot". See aptly named title for this post, above, and read on.

The past two weeks have been filled with a lot of work. Work that I really did not need to add to my plate what with needing to pack our our move and all.

I found "new" furniture for Maggie's new room in our new house while Tyler's parents were here. It was a good deal for a 4-drawer dresser, nightstand, 3-drawer dresser with bookshelf above, a desk with a bookshelf above that and chair, and a full-size headboard. It just required a paint job. And right there is where I got in over my head.

The craiglist posting picture. 1980's Broyhill oak furniture. Good stuff at a great price.
I knew it would be a lot of elbow grease, but the pieces are very sturdy and should last her entire childhood. Tyler let me get a paint sprayer to help me do a better job with the painting. And right there is where I didn't think about:
- how long it takes to clean out said paint sprayer when I am done for the day (one coat of paint takes about 20 minutes on several pieces, cleaning the sprayer takes about 45 minutes)
-the paint dust that it would create
-that I would get paint dust all up in my hair. Every time I finally get it all out of my hair, the weather has cleared up and it's time to do another coat. I have not mastered the art of remembering to wear a head covering while painting...
-paint dust all over the patio in the small sections not covered by drop cloth
-paint dust on Tyler's car. Thank goodness I did not actually spray Tyler's car, and the dust washed off! It was a tense 20 minutes.
-the non-standard size of the brass pulls which I wanted to switch out for some shade of silver (the internet is so awesome - after 2 hours driving back and forth from Lowe's and Home Depot I found the random size I needed online in 5 minutes)
-the fact that I can't hardly spray with Maggie outside. She likes to be right next to me, and I don't want to have to clean up 2 people every time. So every nap it's a mad dash to put on my paint clothes, make sure the furniture it positioned just right, the paint sprayer is ready to go, etc. Inevitably, something is wrong, something needs to be wiped down/sanded/moved/cleaned.

Anywhoo - - I have the nightstand, bookshelves, and dressers completed. They look awesome!!! I will not post a fully completed shot of everything until we are in our new house in February. Right now I have to finish her headboard and desk. I am thinking I am going to have to buy a glass top for it, I don't think the painted top will hold up to a toddler's activities. Not sure what to do on that front... But here are some pictures of the progress. I will spare you photos of my paint-encrusted self.

Mid-way through. I think the dresser took 5 coats of enamel to be even. When all is said and done, I will have used 3 gallons of paint on these!
I had to move the bookshelves quite a ways away so the dust from the 2nd set of items didn't pill up on the surface of their layer of paint. It's been quite the ordeal. Surprisingly, the paint dust is not sticking to the house. That I can tell. Or will own up to. We close on this house and have to move out in 2 weeks. See that paint overspray on the patio? That'll scrobb off, right?! =)
Though I definitely got in over my head this time, I am now armed with a paint sprayer and lots of experience. All projects in the future should be quicker.

The best part about all this? I let Maggie paint the chair. By herself. When we got the furniture, she asked if we could paint all of it pink. I said "No." I do not want to have to paint over pink furniture when she turns 10 and decides it's no longer cool. But a pink chair? It would be a great little accent piece for her room. I explained how we needed to cover up all the wood, and she did a really great job! Every once in a while I would come by and smooth out the glops, but other than that she did almost the entire first coat herself. I did, however, paint a second coat the next day during her nap.
Can you tell this is a "don't take my picture, Mommy!" photo?
So that's one big project I've been working on the past 2 weeks. We've had so much rain that it is hard to get them done. I have to keep bringing them inside to stay dry.