The Walls Hate Me

I’ve written about the walls in my dining room a few times and my stripe design.

First, I sanded, primed and painted them.

Then, when sanding off the primer and paint didn’t workI scraped all the prime and paint off.

Next, I painted with an oil-based primer and painted a top coat of latex paint in white. 

While measuring out my stripes, the paint peeled up in one spot.

It’s small, but I don’t dare put up painter’s tape since it will likely peel more paint off. And though I swore I would run to the hardware store and buy beadboard because hell was going to freeze over before I scraped the walls down again, I have yet to visit Loews.

After living with the dining room walls white below the chair rail for 3 weeks, I know now that I do not want them to remain white. I love color. I need color.

So, we are on to plan B which involves more paint. Surely, more paint will solve my problem.

I’m thinking a base coat of yellow and an allover stencil of orange on top. The stencil will look similar to the scrolls on the fabric I am using.

Or should I go with a base coat of orange with black scrolls on top? Since the kitchen is next to the dining room, maybe I should incorporate turquoise into the colors.

Yellow and turquoise?

Whatever colors chosen,  I’m going to have a colorful house by the time I’m done. Oh yeah!

Sunday Snapshots (of Elly’s knit skirt)

Though I finished knitting the 3-tier skirt in August, it wasn’t until last weekend that it was cool enough for Elly to wear it.

It’s a pity I didn’t get any pictures of her dancing for her favorite part of the skirt was the fact that it twirled when she spun.

A few days later when I was encouraging her to wear a skirt over top of her leggings, she asked me if I had made her that skirt too.

And then when she saw me hand mending an outfit, she asked what I was making for her.

On both occasions I just smiled and laughed.

Almost Done Christmas Shopping

The lion’s share is done.

I realize most people don’t start their Christmas shopping until December. Some even wait until a week before Christmas. I’m too much of a nervous Nellie to do that. Besides there are some key benefits to finishing early.

Finishing early allows me the necessary time to make at least one handmade gift for Elly. I’m working on two this year: a yarn boa and an apron.

The apron will be a larger version of this one as she has skyrocketed in size since this picture was taken a year ago. The design allows her to put the apron herself, something my independent girl loves to do.

More importantly, finishing early allows me to dedicate the entire month of December to baking cookies, cakes, gifts and pies. This year is going to be even better because I now have a little helper in the kitchen with me. She has become quite the decorator of cupcakes. The trick will be to limit her intake of frosting and sprinkles. Or I could just make more icing.