Evening Symphony; The Story of the Blue Wall

The lovely PK is having a Paint Party so I thought it'd be a great time to share our first painting experience.



I'm 99% sure the color is Behr's Evening Symphony. We painted in August 2008 and since having a baby my memory isn't what it used to be.

Anyway, this is the room before. We didn't like the color the previous homeowners picked. It doesn't look too terrible in this picture but at certain times of day it looked like dirty, muddy water.



The brown was pretty dark and I was worried it would be difficult to cover up. Plus, it's our first house so we thought a blueberry pie candle color would be awesome. Behr had an inspiration booklet and this was one of the colors they featured.



I'd read in a magazine (likely Better Homes and Gardens) several years ago that to add subtle stripes to the room, you can paint with the same color but with different finishes (ie glossy and matte). I thought horizontal stripes would make the room seem a bit wider. (a little more info about the skirt here)




The paint experts at Home Depot recommend using Glidden Gripper Grey primer. It worked well but has a strong odor. The Behr paint also smells strongly (or I have a super sensitive nose). I measured the stripes with a level and a lot of little pencil marks. To be truthful, it took me several hours. I didn't like it during the process but I had the time and opportunity. The week we were painting I was second and third guessing my decision but I've never regretted it since. Here's a shot of the taped wall:



We did two coats of each paint finish (btw we have since discovered Frog Tape, which doesn't remove as much paint when you remove it- totally worth the extra cost):



I love this room!



I love how the color shifts and changes through the day.



I also love being able to lighten it up with white accents, especially during the long winters here. (see what we had before the armoire here)



Check out the paint party and awesome paint series here:

Much Better

Just a little upgrade. It's so nice to have the tv behind doors. :)


Before:


I've been itching to sew but since it's January and I'm still in super organization mode, I'll keep tackling our stash of stuff. A tidier house makes me happy.

Here's a little sneak peek:

I Can't Stop Taking Pictures of Her

Especially in such beautiful places and when I'm away from my sewing machine.

Minimalism in Photography

I read this article a few weeks ago and it stuck with me. I like the idea of creating empty space in pictures (and in my house but that's a little bit harder). Here are a few practice shots:













Is this something you'd like to try?

Some Pictures from Christmas Time

The canyon near my parents' house:









The zoo:





Hugs:



Bento:





Ansley going crazy for a shake:





Visiting friends!





Accordian lesson:



Duncan, Arizona:

Christmas Present Reveal

One of two bags (same material) for my sister:



Double sided fleece throw for my brother in law:



Fleece skirt for my sister in law: (as a side note, I think I want one for myself. My husband's a bit skeptical b/c fleece is sort of unconventional for skirts. What do you think? I used a needle and thread to tack the top of the bottom ruffle to the skirt. Thank goodness it wasn't anything that couldn't be accomplished during Jeopardy. I have a serious aversion to hand sewing).



I guess I didn't take any other pictures of these. Is it a lot of work for anyone else to pack up the house for a vacation?

Fleece coat for my mom who likes short sleeved things and pockets:



Messenger bag for my brother with added interior pockets: (my first time sewing with duck cloth. My stitches kept sliding around. Maybe I should've used a different needle?)



Corduroy bag for my sister: (this will be my last serious project with inexpensive corduroy. The fraying and pulling out of the stitches drove me a little bit mad).



Hope you had a great Christmas and New Years!