You know I've been looking back through my blog and noticing a common thread
Wanting a change
Mentally I've been exhausted which manifested itself in being physically exhausted
It started with the rather horrific car accident I was involved in a bit over 12 months ago
and now I'm in the process of a somewhat involved compensation case which in itself is exhausting...
and it's been steadily building since
so I decided to take a break
although you might not believe it
I still am taking a break
but because I am a creative soul
I run on creative energy
so my sort of break is not one that involves sitting on a beach reading magazines and sipping pop..
My sort of break involves doing...
Currently its painting things,
painting things
white...
because we are thinking about perhaps making a bigger change,
so it's time to get the house ready whilst my darling boy and I scheme a bit about where life is taking us..
I have started with a rather large project in this room..
(photo by Mikkel Vang for country style magazine)
Those dark heavy beams have always bothered me
I have a slightly uneasy feeling that one night a beam may drop on my head
just randomly...
because that's what they do..
particularly when they are situated above one's bed..
I don't like them
so I figure if I paint them white they wont be as heavy and drop on my head
method in my madness you see..
I like even less the murky cream paint on the ceiling.
Sooo 1980's darhling...
First a good scrub with sugar soap (it was actually quite filthy)
then a good sealer and undercoat - I really like ZINSSER, its a little more pricey but it does a really good job, I can't fault it (and no they didn't give me a free tin to say that, even though I would LOVE a free tin - seems that my bloggy is not one of those that gets product placement damn it, although some US company offered me some dodgy ceiling lights a while back..how do you get to be one of those blogs I wonder? hmmm..)
anyhow I digress..
You need a really good sealer like this to stop the stain from the wood leaching back into your final coat of paint. And if you are using white this is particularly important..
Hence I'm happy to pay a little more for a can of ZINSSER (still looking for my free tin just sayin'..)
Next I dragged in my super tall metal ladder with wooden steps
it's the coolest ladder ever, found it at a garage sale for $10
and my even cooler husband got it home for me..
it rocks because not only does it look cool it also reaches our very high ceilings..
I might also mention that it weighs at least one tonne give or take..
To move it I have to step it along like a disabled elephant...
But you have to admit, if you are going for the vintage industrial look it does nail it...
I've been documenting this stage with instagram so they are a little grainy but you get the idea..
At the moment I'm tackling this roof in sections
because I have too much stuff
and I need to rearrange the room to get to everything so I'll be having to move the bed shortly..
Once started there was no going back...
This is a good way to tackle life really..
You can see how well the undercoat goes over the original glossy paint and stained beams...
Then onto the final coat
with
GASP
oil based paint!
I LOVE oil based paint, it goes on so deliciously smooth
mooshes off the brush and self levels itself on the wood
It reminds me of my uni days surrounded by printers ink and oil paints in my studio
specks, smell and smooth ooze
love it
I don't care what they say, acrylic is NEVER as good as an oil based paint
And if you really hate the clean up side of it, just buy cheap brushes and throw them out when you have finished
the oil paint; she don't care cause she's busy being smoooth and hard wearing..
So this is where I'm at so far..
I did wonder if this white is a little
well
too white - Taubmans "vivid white"
but I'll paint all of it before I decide
I didn't want a cream based white so let's see the end result before deciding..
oh
and I'm also tackling my youngest cherubs bedroom too
so her lovely glass topped vintage Queen Anne chest of drawers is for sale here
So you see my "doing" break is going quite well













