Painting

Or, actually I should say "Done Painting", Yah! It's amazing how much a coat of paint can do. I painted all the kitchen cabinets and drawers and the trim in the kitchen. It looks so much better and fresher and cleaner. I would not, however, say that I enjoy painting. I started my painting venture about five years ago when I painted our upstairs and then the living room and hallway. Two years ago I painted the master bedroom and the other bedroom downstairs that we use as a computer/school/library/everything that doesn't fit anywhere else room. Then, last year, I painted the upstairs again. (Seven children are mighty hard on a house.) Then today I did the kitchen. I kept the grape leaf wallpaper that was there when we bought the house. Anyway, I have learned a thing or two about painting over the years. So in honor of Wendy's "list" post, here is a list of some painting tips.

1. Primer is your friend. Get to know it, introduce it to your friends, take it out to lunch.

2. Stick with water based paint. Did you know that you can't mix oil based paint with water? You don't want to even know what that looks like.

3. Paint wipes off really well with a wet rag, if you accidentally get it on something you shouldn't have- unless it has dried.

4. Baby wipes work well if you accidentally drip on carpet.

5. You will always buy either too much or not enough. There is a law of physics that prevents you from buying just the right amount.

6. It is definately worth the extra few bucks to buy a good paintbrush.

7. The paint will never look on your wall, exactly like it does on the swatch. Always get your color samples and test it out in a few different areas of the room before buying three gallons just on the hunch you think it will look okay.

8. When in doubt, go ahead and tape off the trim, and take off the light/electric covers. It WILL make things easier.

9. You can put your brushes and trays in the refrigerator if you need to take a break. Put them in ziplocs or plastic bags and they won't dry out this way.

10. White paint that has been sitting on the shelf for a year actually turns gray. Never fear, just take your paint stirrer and stir it until it turns white again.