Floored!

So when I bought my home, I was in love with everything. Not necessarily every detail and color, but with the incredible possibilities that I could instantly imagine! When I saw the floor of the third bedroom, which I fondly described as two shades of baby poo, I knew that it wasn't perfect, but that I could change that fact. But being crazy busy with teaching and learning, I saved this task for a summer DIY project!

If you know me, I sometimes (a lot) have impulsive ideas that require me to actually slow down and process them so that I don't make a bad or regrettable decision! I usually bounce such ridiculousness off my BFF Ali because I know she will either give me an honest response or jump on board the crazy train with me! Haha! So I bounced the CrAzY idea of painting my floor a neat color, specifically aqua, not just plain white like I always assumed I would. Ali sent me a super photo from a blog she follows on instagram. After seeing the picture, I knew for sure that I wanted to follow my idea and dive in with the project! Thanks for helping push that crazy idea Ali! 

For more awesomely awesome ideas, check out Beneath My Heart!

Of course I turned to my handy-dandy Pratt & Lambert paint fan, and compared colors to the image that Ali had sent. Although my color didn't match perfectly, I was excited when I encountered Cilantro 22-2 in the fan. 

My next move was to go straight to City Lumber, my locally owned and operated hardware store to talk to Dan the Paint Man. If you have a paint related question, he's sort of an expert. Thanks to Dan, I was able to avoid that massive project of sanding my floors, or having to use oil based paint which is stinky and takes longer than my impatient self likes to wait. Dan recommended that post cleaning, I prime the floor with Cover Stain, an oil-based primer that covers stains, oil or latex paint, and prevents stains from coming through. It's like a super strength version of Kilz Primer. 

I cut in around the edges and the door trim, then rolled the rest of the floor using a broom handle attached to the roller frame. The floor then dried overnight and throughout the following day. If your floor color is really dark to begin with, Cover Stain dries to second coat readiness in about 30 minutes so you don't have to wait a day. However, although my floor was an ugly color, the one coat of primer was sufficient. I then moved on to the actual floor color, the CILANTRO! 

Using Pratt & Lambert's Industrial Porch and Floor Paint. As I said before, I wasn't excited to use an oil-based paint, and Dan was able to offer this product in acrylic so it was more use friendly when it comes to smell, clean up, and dry time.

Again, I cut in and then rolled a total of two coats. Although not necessary, my first coat dried overnight and through most of the next day because I didn't start the first coat until 9:30 the night previous and had to work the next morning. I have to say that the final color on the floor turned out better than I anticipated and made me literally squeal with joy! 

The next step was to tackle the problem of the missing baseboards in the room, because there was about a 3/4" gap between the floor and the sheet rock of the wall. This is when I enlisted the help of my ever knowledgeable and helpful father. Although I have a large quantity of stray molding lengths in various storage areas of the house, there were not enough feet of one style to complete the entire room so instead I opted for simple one by four pine boards. This also was based on the fact that the neighboring bedroom had simple baseboards and I wanted to maintain some continuity. Like the floor, I used Cover Stain to prep the boards and then had interior latex in a satin, matched to the existing trim color throughout the house. 

My makeshift painting station on the basement floor. Ps: Keep that background table in your brain for later!

Once I had two coats of Cover Stain on, to help prevent any potential sap seepage, I did a coat of trim paint. My dad then kindly gave up part of his day to help remeasure the room lengths, cut the boards, and attach them to the wall. He did so using a pneumatic nail gun. The holes left were small and easily filled Spackle so that the boards could be touched up quickly with paint.

The final result is pretty wonderful, and I smile every time I walk into the room now! The floor goes perfectly with the yellow table that I snagged, after eyeing for months as a potential craft table, from Vintage Hardware! (GO FIGURE!!!) Now I need to finish moving the rest of the storage back into the room, get organized, and get crafting! Stay tuned for another craft room related project in the form of some furniture rehabilitation and TLC.

PS: Here's a typical Melissa side story for you! With summers off from teaching, I snagged a fun job working at Frite & Scoop (Follow them on Instagram and Facebook too!) Well as an ice cream lover. obsessor, and junky, I have to say that their Bubblegum flavor is by far one of my most favorite flavors. So one evening, after having finished all of the coats of paint on my happy floor, I sat down to a tasty treat of ice cream. While sitting on my couch, probably watching the latest episode of Rizzoli and Isles, I pulled the lid off of the pint container to dig into the bubblegum flavored deliciousness. As I looked down, I had a deja-vu moment and realized with great pleasure that I may have subconsciously made my love of F&S Bubblegum ice cream a permanent declaration in my house! Whoops! What's that hashtag? #sorrynotsorry! Cheers! 

melissagrotheThat one time that I discovered that I love @friteandscoop so much, I accidentally painted my floor to match my favorite bubble gum ice cream... Not sorry. #friteandscoop #paintandicecream

Pinterest Projects!

If you are not familiar with Pinterest, it is essentially an online place to organize ideas, pictures, articles, anything onto virtual pin boards.  Plus it is hopelessly addicting...

Anyway, the hardest part for me is actually doing the neat projects and ideas that I pin. This fall I was able to use some of the clever plans I recently pinned to my advantage.  Although these projects are not really related, I figured a Pinterest project blog would save you and I the time of a few mini blogs.  

The first idea I implemented was for the benefit of my classroom.  I snagged it from Pinterest, but the original  idea came from Apartment Therapy.  I store more than colored pencils in my bins, opting to add various sizes of markers too.  

If you could see the lids, you would notice that they match the color of the products in the jugs. (Of course I did that)

My students thought this was just the coolest thing ever, and even one of my colleagues set about doing this in her class too!

My next project was to make a last minute Halloween costume in the form of a simple tutu.  I picked up two different colors of tulle from the fabric store, in full yardage rather than the easier rolls of 6 inch tulle (only because our store was sold out.) I cut strips of tulle in 6 inch widths and then folded them in half length wise. I attached the tulle to a wide strip of grosgrain ribbon in a coordinating color by pulling the loose ends through the loop created by the fold.  

Of course I failed to take a picture of myself wearing it, or have a picture taken so you can't see the final look. Blogging fail. Sorry!

I have more projects that I want to complete, but they will have to wait with all the holiday buzz! Just keep pinning!

Happy Housewarming!

This weekend I finally put together a housewarming gift for my wonderful friend Ali! I picked up all sorts of treasures from some of my favorite home decor shopping locations.  I created a gift basket using a creamy, yellow locker basket from Vintage Hardware. I then proceeded to fill it with all sorts of neat finds.  My items, besides the creamy basket, were all in various shades of green, not because I planned it originally, but because once I started with green, I just couldn't stop. The main item inside the basket was a West Elm stripe favorite throw in beansprout and ivory.

West Elm is my new favorite home decor company! 

I then added a stack of three minty crackle painted flower pots from Dollar Tree. They are so adorable, I'm contemplating returning to buy some of my own!

They came in a few colors, so you have options!

I then added a three pack of flour cloth dish towels because they are my favorite for all things kitchen, plus they clean up nicely with a bit of bleach.  I also added the latest issue of one of my favorite magazines, Country Living! Always chalk full of great decorating ideas, products, and food. 

I especially loved the June edition this year!

While hunting around our local Goodwill, I came across two brand new, Pyrex liquid measuring cups.  They were identical and each hold two cups.  Of course I snagged both of them, one for Ali and one for me! What a great find!  I also added a fun, flowery frame that I found last year on a 60% Fred Meyer clearance table.  It has been sitting in my gifting pile waiting to find the perfect person that it should be given to.  I instantly thought of my developing green gift theme and new it would be a great addition in Ali's basket! Thank goodness I know that Ali LOVES Goodwill and good deals as much as I do, so she would not be offended that she is getting gifts that were steals! :)

Discount Pyrex and picture frames.

The last piece to the gift puzzle was actually three pieces.  I picked up three fresh herb plants from our Fred Meyer, taking advantage of the Memorial Day weekend Garden Center sale! I picked up onion chives, cilantro, and lemon verbena.  I then cut squares of craft wrap that covered the unattractive black, plastic store pots.  I folded the edges over the corners of the pots so they look slightly pleated, then used natural colored raffia to secure the paper in place with bows!

These would make absolutely terrific place markers or favors for a summer party!

Any good gift has to have a good card to accompany it, so my next task was to create a simple, green themed card!  I started with a crafting and card making staple, a paint chip! Acquiring new paint chips is literally the only reason I go to Home Depot.  They have the multiple color chips still, when most companies are stocking individual color chips only.

Happened to have the perfect green chip!

In order to make the chip less industrial and harsh looking, I used my Martha Stewart lace paper punch that I picked up a few months ago at JoAnn's.  

I only punched one end, only because I liked the look.

I then used a stamp that I have been dying to use, because it is just so cheery and cute! The uses for the stamp though are limited, so it was great having a purpose for it! I used a chocolate brown ink and placed it on a white pricing tag from my scrapbooking box. I attached the tag using a glue dot on one end and a green (go figure) brad through the hole at the other end.  

Picked up at Michael's for $1.00!

So simple, but so happy!

I finished the card up with a simple To and Heart in a matching chocolate brown marker. The card only took about five minutes to construct, but it matched the green themed basket perfectly!

:)

The finished product turned out so wonderfully, it may be one of my most favorite gifts I have ever given! Thanks Ali, for letting me blog all about your neat present! And may your new home bring you many wonderful memories and blessings! Love you!

The final basket!

Imitating Paul Klee

My students completed an art project this fall based on the work of Paul Klee.  I first shared a short biography on Klee's personal and professional life.  

The Life and Work of Paul Klee by Sean Connoly

The book was very inexpensive on Amazon or could likely be picked up at Powell's.  After sharing the book I introduced the students to a specific piece of Klee's work, Castle and Sun.  

Castle and Sun

Students were then given 12 inch by 18 inch black construction paper as a background.  I distributed a pile of 2 inch right triangles to each group of students (Huge thanks to my parent volunteer, Kara, for cutting hundreds of triangles!).  The triangles were in a variety of colors but mainly browns, oranges, and reds, as reflected in Klee's original work. Students created their imitation version of the painting by combining triangles into squares, mix and matching colors and shapes, and patterns. As students pieces were completed, I grading on neatness and imitation of the original painting.  

Bulletin board featuring final products

I created a sign identifying our goal for the project by punching multiple colors of letters with our Ellison paper punch.  The letters are layered to incorporate more color, of course!

With large items and limited board space, I used the hall as our art gallery!

Fun Spring Fabrics for Pillows!

Inspired by pillows I saw at Vintage Hardware, I am making split front pillows, half one pattern, half another with cream colored backs. The flower pattern will be the base fabric, teamed with the blue and coral, separately, to make a matching set.

I am looking forward for break to start so I can get going on these fun and funky, printed pieces. (PS: I'm a sucker for a lot of alliteration!)