Hey, friends! Happy June. I took a bit of a blogging break; winter was tough around the Cove. To be honest, I think I have a bit of S.A.D. It was cold and gray a lot of the time and it just made for a really bad attitude on my part.
But! Things are looking up (except now it’s raining so much, flooding, and cloudy a lot!). Days are warmer, when it’s sunny-lighter longer, and June is here. I’m going home to Michigan in just a couple of weeks so my mind is set for vacation and I’m excited to see family, attend a wedding, and dip these toes into the cold water of Lake Michigan. Summer is almost here!
So, what’s new around here? I bought a new computer! (part of the no-blogging deal was that our computer stopped working-tried doing it from my phone, but had absolutely no patience for that). Except, the week the new iMac arrived-our internet provider crashed. It slowed waaaaay down. We’re waiting on a new antennae so our connection speed is sooooo slow. Having a brand spanking new computer with crappy internet connection? It’s like driving a Ferrari in a school zone. Ugh!
I’ve been working in the craft room. It’s almost where I want it to be-just have some curtains to make and some nail holes to pound-I mean stuff to hang. 😉
There’s been much crafting going on, too. I’m excited to start sharing!
First up: a make over on this little clock from my old apartment. I love having a clock in the craft room-you know, to keep track of when I should eat and sleep, and stuff. Otherwise I’d just sit in there crafting away with no notice of neither time nor space.
Here’s the before:
Loved this clock when I bought it over eleven years ago for my very first (and only) big-girl apartment. It matched perfectly with all the dark rattan and wicker decor I loved so much back then.
My tastes have changed slightly and the craft room is much lighter and brighter now so something a little more fun was in order.
I handed over the base part to Thom. He LOVES spray painting and he is EXCELLENT at it. Thankfully, he also loves helping me out (I think he particularly likes the squeals of excitement when something turns out exactly as I envision).
While he was spraying, I popped out the clock work. It was super easy, as the face was just a sticker and it peeled away so easily. I just used it as a template to trace onto cute patterned paper.
I found some adorable, whimsical number stickers in my stash for the hours, replaced the black minute and hour hands for contrast, and popped it all back together in no time at all.
When Thom brought in the finished base I was ecstatic. I mean! Look at that color. Isn’t it just perfect for summer? It sprayed on so easy and smooth.
Gah! (my new fave expletive) I love this so much.
Thom’s tips for spray painting:
- 99% of any good spray painting job is the PREP WORK and just 1% painting.
- Scuff up the surface, fill any pock marks or holes (this had a few marks from being dropped)
- Start with a primer. Let dry completely-sometimes overnight.
- Spray back and forth in quick and LIGHT mists. Do multiple layers of LIGHT mists as opposed to laying it on thick in fewer swipes.
- Be patient and let it dry completely. Overnight is best, even when the directions say less. (patience? Me? hahahaha)
- Finish with a glossy top coat. It’s also been our experience to use the same brand primer, spray paint, and top coat for the best results. There’s been projects where we used a different brand primer and the spray paint buckled or crinkled as a result.
So that’s it, guys. Happy to be back in my little space here on the internet. Tell me what y’all are up to?
Also…if you’re interested in this color, here is what I used.
