Paint Colors!

Okay, we've discussed how I'm not a "safe" color person. I transplanted myself from North Carolina in 1984, and I love my tropical lifestyle. It took me a while to get used to pink houses. Now I own one. I like light and bright, which is funny because I dress like I should be following Marilyn Manson around the country, but that's okay. When you walk in my house, I want you to think "Key West."

 

I said I was picking out paint colors, and Kelly from the very fine and engaging blog Tearing Up Houses said I needed to share. So welcome to Paint Chip Talk, with your host, the Crazy Color Lady!

 

The color seen here is Blue Burst. It's in a servant's hallway between the dining room and kitchen, with the maid's bedroom (AKA the Fire Room) and bath off of it. It's prominent and very easily seen, and yes, I love the color.  No, I don't have a maid. This house was built in 1927 by Gloria Swanson as a getaway. Down the street a block or two are similarly quirky digs owned by Charlie Chaplain, and a domicile that belonged to Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Their handprints and names are drawn in the patio stairs. You can see why I put up with this house.

 Welcome to the Swatch Mania Round! Do I play it safe and go white walls with pops of outrageous color, or spin the wheel and go for broke?

 The floors are decided in a light oak throughout the house (sanding the original 80+ year old wood and refinishing). The boys have chosen a deep red with white wainscoating. The entire house will have white high gloss trim to unify the kaleidoscope.

 

We have winner for the main living room in Coastal Mist. I splashed a wall with it and loved it.

The "barely there" quality of it will pop when the woodwork and beams are all a crisp white. Oh yes, I have ceiling beams. I should just suck it up and do the nasty BEFORE thing, huh?

Here's where it gets ugly.  Carolina Parakeet and Grass Cloth?

They look like THIS on your walls. My contractor asked which shade of puke I'd settled on.

The Fire Room is going Taupe.

That second color is Marsh Fern, and it's a contender for the dining room, 

which will open onto the patio.

The downstairs bath is getting a coat of Gem Turquoise.

 

And I think this softer turquoise will be our room. Imagine it with all the 

seaglass and the navy accents.

Lastly, my little daughter's room will have an ocean theme, and we're pairing up to do a base of the darker blue with swirls of the lighter for a peaceful, underwater effect. We did her artwork a year ago (this was in full progress when the fire started), and we're ready to just get her all done.

So...whatcha think?

New Job, New Garbage

So, here's the thing: since I changed jobs, I have to train a whole new office full of people not to throw anything away before running it by me. Luckily, my worst addiction (outside of my spouse) is coffee, so I was there when this swell dispenser box was about to be sentenced to the landfill.

 

Ka-ching!

 

You'll need:

A box similar to this

Hot glue

Rocks, tile scraps, or something to weight the box

Spray paint

Embellishments. I used shells, seaglass, marbles, and ribbon

 

First, we're going to hot glue some stones to the bottom of the box to weigh it down and give it some stability.

Nice and heavy.

 Spray paint in your choice of turquoise. I mean color.

 I then cut off the short flaps on the sides with an exacto knife.

 Hot glue ribbon around the top edge and then decorate to suit your decor.

Punch holes in the top center of the two remaining flaps.

 Stuff with plastic grocery bags.

 Thread a ribbon through the two holes and tie it in a bow.

This is going in my downstairs bathroom next to the Feline Overlords' Powder Room, which Savannah scoops into the afore mentioned grocery bags. You could also use it in the kitchen. I figure the convenience may cut down on the amount of grousing from the young lady with the odious chore.

But I doubt it.

Totally Cool Receipt?

All on hand. FREE.

I like free.

Welcome to the Jungle

As we speak, at 6:00 in the morning on what promises to be a gorgeous Sunday, I've had 3 aspirin for breakfast. I'm a 49 year old walking bundle of sore muscles. And I've inflicted this on everyone in my family.

We have done the Spring Weeding.

The 10 foot long raised bed is cleared and fertilized.

The backyard is cleared. This is a During photo. There are no Before photos. Why? Because I have no intention of letting any of you know just how white trash Casa de Redneck looked. Take a look at the debris piles and feel free to judge.

There's a patio back here, and I intend to use it now that the kids are older and need a little space. You'll have photos tomorrow of the new backyard lounge.

For now, check out the focal point of the area, this amazing old tree...

...which will be the star of the landscaping here.

It's a good 70 feet tall, and Kelly and Heather can tell you, for a South Florida tree, that's ENORMOUS. You'll get a better sense of how huge it is tomorrow, I promise.

Sorry, Bill...

 

...but I like my windows better. I  went to the hardware store to pick out paint samples. Paint. Not spackle, not mud, not screws. Paint. Paint is a step close to DONE. Paint means I just have to remove baseboards, PAINT, do the floors, replace the baseboards (which will be painted in the meantime), and I have a room...

 

...if they deliver the doors. Ever.

Garden Markers

Okay, honestly, I have a lot of wine corks. I have a lot of seedlings. And I'm OUT of garden markers.

 

What to do, what to do, what to do....

 

This is the easiest thing EVER.

Push a ground staple through a cork. Write the name of the plant on the cork. Are you with us?

I was really proud of the idea, since I had all of this around the house. Check the garage, kiddies, and tilt your head to the left. What do you REALLY see? It's amazing what you have just lying around, waiting for a purpose.

Totally Cool Receipt?

I had the staples leftover from THIS project.

The corks are $8 apiece, but they come with free wine.

Hit and Run Orchids

 Just some shots of what's in bloom.

Nothing amazing.

 

 But blooms are a sure sign that at least...

...I'm not killing them. Right?

Right?

Sneak Peek: Weekend Preview

Ready to get your garden on this weekend? Me too! The seedlings are ready to go in, the post-winter weeding is done (don't laugh at me; we get winter.), and I'm ready for a yard full of blooms!

Of course, I do have a tiny advantage.

We do have a lot of things that bloom year round.

So this weekend, we'll finish up the pillow projects, do a little gardening, make some fun storage containers from trash, and give you a sneak peek at the progress in the house. As in I'm choosing colors.

Oh, and we made a Freeze Death Ray. Stay tuned!

Windows!

 

This is a lot better than
 plywood, don't you think?

Hey, look! The storage unit!

Sequined Pillow Project

Okay, so we started with a Goodwill sweater tank top scored for $3 in a size that deterred all temptation of dressing like Mariah Carey.

First, turn the sweater inside out, pin the bottom together and stitch it shut.

 

Clip all loose threads. If your machine does not have reverse, knot the ends. Yes. I have a fancy machine with reverse. Be impressed.

Turn it right side out. Here's the fun part. Since this was a knit sweater, I simply folded the top inside, squared it off, and pinned it. This would prevent the unravelling that might occur if you cut the knit.

I did try stitching through this with my machine, but I broke 2 needles within 6 inches, so I whip stitched it shut.

Leave a pocket open and stuff. Finish whipping that stitch.

Yeah, pure glamor. I love it. It's going on the pile on my bed once the bedroom redo is done.

Wait. The bedroom redo?