Monday, October 24, 2011

My little assistant.

I have been working on the kitchen. It seems like a never ending project. I was pleasantly surprised and very, very happy to discover that the wallpaper border came off cleanly and easily. WHEW. Choosing a paint color has proven to be a little more challenging. None of the samples on the wall seemed quite right.
Adam was intrigued when he saw me painting little samples on the wall. What three year old wouldn't be? The little jars were oh so cute and even had paint brushes built into the lids. That's probably the most awesome thing ever in a three year old kid's opinion. Knowing he'd be interested, I stashed the samples in the garage and didn't think twice about them.

He apparently did have second thoughts. He seized his opportunity one afternoon while I was momentarily distracted. Any parent knows that it is amazing what a toddler can destroy accomplish in just a few short minutes. I walked into the family room to discover him painting my freshly painted end tables.
"Oh no. Oh no no no. Adam, what have you done? Oh no no no no no. Stop. Stop. Stop!"
"Don't worry, Mom! Don't worry!"

At the time, I felt like crying. Later on, it was a little more funny. How could I stay angry when he looked so proud?



Lesson learned. Lock  child in a cage  up all paints to prevent these kind of incidents from occurring.

Friday, October 21, 2011

The Safari Bathroom Makeover

Remember this bathroom? We were both appalled when we saw it. Someone even commented that the former tenants must have wanted bathing to feel like an adventure. We vowed that it would be the first room we tackled.

Technically, it was. I never would have imagined such a small space might have so many challenges. I arrogantly thought the ceramic towel bar and toilet paper holder would be no match for me. I'd successfully removed them in our last home. I thought it would just take a few taps with a rubber mallet and a bit of spackle, and I'd be set to paint.

I thought wrong. It turns out they were embedded in the wall, and removing them left holes that needed to be patched. To add insult to my injured ego, the wallpaper border refused to budge. 

I was determined to win the battle. No way could I stand to look at those pawprints on the wall any longer.
I think it turned out pretty okay! This is Adam's bathroom, but it will also serve as the bathroom house guests use as well.  I wanted a space that was fun without being too juvenile. I think I achieved it.

Since it is primarily a child's bathroom, I wanted it to be child friendly. The coat hooks are mounted at a lower height than a traditional towel bar would be, making it easier for my little guy to hang up a towel. I created the artwork to coordinate with the shower curtain. It's fun, but it's easy to change as he grows older.

It feels great to cross this one off my list!