Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Putting things back together


It's been a while, and things haven't really gone perfectly to plan (let's be honest, do they ever?) but we are finally putting the pieces back together and finding a new routine at our new place.

We have been here 2 months now, and even though we are not exactly completely settled; we are getting there.  
The boxes are slowly disappearing, the house is starting to look like home, and the kids are loving the newly found freedom that comes with having acreage to roam.  

I have been itching to get back in the Green Lady Lab and get creating, but that is one item that has not been completed yet.  The designated workspace will need some work before it will be ready to produce in.  But I am a crafty girl...and I need to keep busy.

Thankfully our new place was a blank canvas; and I have been busy painting walls, cabinets, tables, and anything I can get my paintbrush on. 

My first DIY project was downsizing my computer desk.
We have moved in to a much smaller house, and with that comes purging and downsizing furniture.  Out with the big and bulky...and in with the small and compact.  

The local Habitat for Humanity store has been my go-to place for finding smaller furniture, as well as local thrift stores, flea markets, and good old garage sales.  There is something magical about finding that perfect piece.  


Add some elbow grease and a little creativity and you can turn something boring into something fantastic.  

On this desk I used a dry brush technique...and it worked like a charm!
 After sanding and priming the piece I use a dark espresso bean brown for the first two coats.  This gave me a nice dark base.  I then used a light ocean blueish green color to provide a nice contrast.
Using a inexpensive brush, I dipped some paint onto the tip and then took most of it off by brushing the excess on a paper plate. 
Using short strokes I painted the top coat lightly over the darker base; allowing the contrast to show through.
It turned out AMAZING!

It took some patience on my part, but I really had a blast painting it; and now I have given myself the painting bug.  Since this project I have done 3 more painting projects for the new house that I will share with you!

In addition to painting I have been working on a multitude of crafy projects, adding gardens and green to our new space, as well as discovering things once beatiful that have been overgrown around the new home.  Stay tuned for our next crafty project...and as always Have a Fantasic Day!