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Saturday, March 14, 2015

Oops Paint - A Project's Beginning

Have you ever had a project in mind but feel you can't get started until you figure out a paint color? Why does the finish hold up the start?

I knew I had a color in mind that I wanted for the pantry. Wait back up, I knew, even when we moved in that I wanted to replace the wire shelves in the pantry.  They bend under weight, they let food slip through the openings, and they look awful.  So it made sense (to me) to replace them eventually.  At the time the house was built, we had the option of laminate or wire shelves, but for cost cutting measures, we kept everything wire shelves, even the master closet.

So the time came when I found inspiration to renovate the pantry, but I need a paint color.  I did not want the plain white walls, which only highlights the white ugly shelves.  I knew I wanted an orangish, maybe pinkish color.  I need something brighter.  The light in the pantry is partially blocked by all the shelving and the food, so a neutral darker color wouldn't work.

For several weeks, I stopped by Home Depot and Lowe's to check out their supply of "oops paints" to see if a color caught my eyes.  Two weeks in a row, neither store had more than one color, so disappointing!  But the third week, I found a color I thought would do.  For $5.00, it was worth a chance, surely better than plain white walls.



Upon finding a suitable paint color, I went home and cleaned the pantry out.  Between the sunroom and our counter in the breakfast area, I was able to temporarily store everything in our pantry.  Though it made it harder to hide the sweets from the boys, and Bo thought he was being spoiled rotten with all the new food in his room.


The worst part about taking out the wire shelves was patching all of the support holes.  Though I did have some choice words to say to the nails that would not easily come out, and I did pinch part of my skin.  Once the patching was behind me, and I patiently waited for it to dry, I taped so I could paint after the boys went to bed.  Painting in such a small space seems to require some talent.  You have to be careful with the order you paint the walls so that you don't back yourself up into wet paint.  I put two coats of paint on, and once it dried, I took down all the tape.


I had Lowe's make most of the cuts for the plywood shelving, but all of the support framing was kept whole until I arrived home.  I took out both of the car seats and folded down the back seat in order to transport the wood!

Based on stud spacing, I knew which wall I wanted to start with so not to interfere with the 16" that studs should be spaced.  I measured for all 5 shelves on the back wall, cut, fit, and then removed.  I wanted to stain the framing because I knew it would be exposed.  Some pins I found on Pinterest put 1/4" board on the bottom, but I wasn't super crazy about the added weight or found it necessary.

So I would stain, install, measure more board, ensure they fit, and stained those boards. Repeat!  It was a slow process waiting on the stain to dry, but I didn't want to cut a board based on the assumed depth of the 2" x 2" framing since the boards aren't exactly straight, which means it could cause my intersecting boards to be longer or shorter.  This project really tested my patience because when I get an inspiration, I want to complete it quickly so I can admire the finished project.


AJ had some leftover wood, and he showed me how to rip it to get it to the correct width.  We have a mix of two colors for our cabinets in our kitchen and master bedroom, so I thought the medium stain with a natural trim would look great.  I really like how the shelves turned out, and I like going into my pantry and not seeing the ugly white trim. Total spent - $85.00

No judging the contents :)

I have had numerous other house projects that I had hoped to share how I did it, but there's not much time left after doing the project and trying to share it...something about two crazy little boys consuming all of my time and energy!


A train table for the boys in the nook area, a photo clock at the breakfast table (we can say to Aidan, you need to have your dinner finished by the time the hand reaches Rosalind, and he knows where to look) photo ledge shelves on a wall outside of the master bedroom, laundry room organization for all the cleaning tools, and a ruler for marking the boys yearly growth (and they love to see how tall they are throughout the year!)


Half Birthday - An Owen Update

Owen celebrates his half birthday on Pie day, how cool is that?!  I thought about letting him have pie, but a sugar high toddler doesn't sound appealing on a rainy day.

Owen doesn't go to his well check up until the end of the month, but according to our scale he is 30+ lbs and over 33" tall, so tracking slightly behind his brother, but not by much.

Owen continues to be a great sleeper, whether it's nap time or bed time, he usually goes down without a fuss.  Though he has started waking earlier, but that's due to hearing his big brother.  He looooooooves breakfast, he cannot get enough food fast enough at breakfast.  He will cry and pitch a fit if he has to wait for his food to be prepared.  He will immediately run to his high chair and point at it, indicating he wants up.

Speaking of "up", it's one word that Owen loves to use.  He'll reach up, arch his back, move his fingers, and say "up" when he's not picked up right away.  He's also found he likes the word "mine" and "no".  While he sleeps well, when Owen is awake, he is trouble.  Dramatic, too.  He cracks me up, but at the same time, I'm not use to the drama.  Owen is also a biter and a hitter, but part of that problem is due to big brother snatching things from him or knocking him down.



Snuck a banana
Back to food...besides breakfast, we have difficulty getting Owen to eat.  Not at daycare, not a grandparent's houses, but around mom and dad, Owen is a very picky lunch and dinner eater.  Again, he's throwing curve balls at us because Aidan generally ate well and ate a lot of food.

Like Aidan, Owen loves being outside.  He understands "outside" and "park."  Though if you take Owen to a park, he cares more about petting the random dogs than sliding or swinging.  He calls all dogs "Bo" or "Bobo".  



When he's not distracted by dogs, he is trying to climb up everything to go down the bigger slides.  Most people are surprised to learn his age when they see him playing at the park, but Owen watches Aidan and feels he has to do everything Aidan does.  I'm constantly surprised by what he can climb or objects he finds to help him reach what he can't easily climb.  

 Owen has been a bigger dare devil than Aidan.  Owen months ago stood up on rocking toys, hands up, proud of himself.  He climbs on everything possible, and he will move a chair to reach something off the counter.  He is determined.



We still let Owen have his pacifier, though recently I have considered taking it away, but I really don't want to mess up the sleep routine.  We already have one toddler waking us up randomly throughout the night, we need the other to be the easy sleeper.  Owen is also obsessed with his loveys.  He has two - a monkey and a giraffe, and he has to have both at night, though he only brings one to day care.

So looking back on my Aidan blog, I apparently thought asking and answering questions based on his current actions was a good idea, so I figured I would repeat it for Owen.

1. What is your favorite color? Owen doesn't show a color preference.  Whatever color, he will try to eat it.
2. What is your favorite toy? His favorite toy is whatever toy Aidan currently has or any that are neatly organized in bins.


3. What is your favorite fruit? Banana
4. What is your favorite tv show? He doesn't care for tv, maybe the intro to Mickey Mouse Club House, which causes him to dance. Owen rarely watches tv since he goes to bed before we put a show on for Aidan.
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Again, at home, he's a pill when it comes to eating lunch.  He'll eat a banana.
6. What is your favorite outfit? He prefers no clothes
7. What is your favorite game?  He loves throwing balls to Bo
8. What is your favorite snack?  Popcorn
9. What is your favorite animal? Dogs!
10. What is your favorite song? Itzy Bitzy Spider (same as Aidan!)
11. What is your favorite book? Whatever book I read Aidan
12. Who is your best friend?  Bo or Aidan

13. What is your favorite cereal?Cheerios

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Play in the mud with his brother or be at the park
15. What is your favorite drink? Milk
16. What is your favorite holiday? Any holiday
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? His loveys and pacifer
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast Oatmeal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? We'll offer everything, and he will refuse it all. Hah
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Veterinarian or daredevil/stunt man