I guess you noticed I didn’t get to your comments yesterday… you’ll see why below. I’ll read them again and see if anyone had any questions.
I woke up Wednesday morning and really only wanted to get ONE thing accomplished… decide on a paint color and paint my living room and dining room. It’s one big room and I’ve had an awful time trying to figure out a paint color. We painted it a “vanilla” color called Sesame 13 years ago and it was really showing some wear… Also… I am super excited to tell you… WE ARE GETTING FLOORS!!! (All caps means you’re excited… if you didn’t already know that!) Not just floors because we’ve changed our mind and want something different. We are getting floors to cover up the plywood we have been walking on for 13 years… Yep… plain ole plywood… not “subfloor” plywood. But regular plywood…the kind that gives you splinters! Anyway, that post will come eventually… sooner than later I hope! (I thought I’d show you a few examples of my floors… ugh!)
We are tying to sand down the ridges as best we can…and fill in the dips and dents with wood putty.
But back to today… It’s hard to decide on a paint color when you don’t know what you want… Several texts went back and forth between me and Cindy (my sister in PA who knows all about painting), and she finally just said pick something…it will look clean and fresh and it’ll be alright. Well, I got in the car and prayed all the way to Lowe’s and met my hubby to help me decide. I had it narrowed down to 3 samples. (Although there were about 7 samples painted in big areas on my walls..) It was beginning to look ridiculous in my house. I felt like I had to explain to everyone who came over why there were paint splotches coming from behind mirrors, pictures, and 3 big patches on one wall… Nobody ever asked, but I could see it in their eyes…
We picked one called Sackcloth of all things. It sounds horribly drab but it was the one we chose. I rushed home and got started taping off trim and my ceiling and hoped things would go smoothly… What if it went so well that when my hubby got home I was all done? Wouldn’t that be something? Well, I got around the windows and front door and across one wall in the dining room and my hubby came home… I wasn’t even close to being done…
Here area few pictures of what I did get done… I know you can’t tell a lot from them, but this is just to show you I wasn’t laying on the couch eating Bon Bon’s! My walls were almost the same color as all my trim… I wanted something that made my trim pop.
At first the paint seemed like almost the same color as what we already had, but as it dried, you could see the difference…
My hubby came in and sat down in a chair and said, “How would you like to bless some guys from Angola?” I knew immediately there went the rest of my painting day… and I also knew it was going to involve alterations… Sure enough, 3 guys from Angola, (from our church) are going to be ushers in a wedding this weekend and they just found some pants today but they needed to be altered in the legs and then hemmed…
I put away my painting stuff and went in town to meet them so I could see what had to be done… then I came home and had to get started on them, because they need them Friday night. It took me till 11:30 to get them finished, …SOOOO… my day DID involve sewing, just not what you wanted to see… sorry…
I have no idea if I like the color of my paint or not. It was too shadowy in my house when I got back home to tell. I hope I wake up to something beautiful!
Oh wait.. I do have something I can tease you with… sorry, but I want to do this right… what came inside the wrapping paper is too special to do a quickie post, so I will have to show it tomorrow, hopefully tomorrow.. For now, I’ll just show you the wrapping paper…It’s about 2 and a half feet long by a foot and a half. I saved the paper as it has the most darling outfits on it…
I turned around from taking pictures of the paper and lo and behold, Ten Ping was sitting in a little chair… “Since Emmie’s dress is all finished, am I next???” I told her as soon as I got my living room put in order, she’d be next for a dress… That sweet little dear smiled… I wish you could have seen it!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh Jeanne, your posts are so full of light moments that make me smile, and this one is too! Yes, it WOULD be something to have seen Ten Ping smile! She looks very pretty sitting there in her undies, but I see a bit of impatience too! Now that her little face is all glammed up, I think she wants a new outfit!!!
Oh gosh, you will be SO happy with new floors! I can’t imagine how hard it must be to keep those plywood floors clean. Your house will look brand new with new flooring and a new paint job to boot! Yes, this is a good time to get the painting out of the way, for sure! I know how hard it is to pick a color for a room, because, first, it costs something, it takes a bit of time, there are SO many shades of just one color, and before you know it, they all start looking the same! Then when it is done—-was it worth it and do you like it? So yes, I feel your trepidation on a color, because I have gone through that many times. Most of the time you will get it right! I think the color you picked is going to work out, not that you asked me!!
So now you are doing alternations! Good luck with that, and that wrapping paper is just adorable! I absolutely love paperdolls, and if I saw that as a little girl, I’s be busy cutting away!
Oh my goodness, Linda. ..Ten Ping IS excited to be getting a new dress!
Keeping plywood floors clean is a never ending task. I will be so glad to have smooth floors and can’t wait to use a dust mop…I’ve always wanted to use one…
I think the color will be fine. I had to take my mom to the dr this morning, then she wanted to go to lunch, then shopping at walmart so I didn’t get home until after 3:00. It was cloudy so I couldn’t tell the color in the afternoon. I’m going to like it…I HAVE TO LIKE IT!
THanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hurray for new floors! The paint color looks like one that the family decorator extraordinaire, Cindy, would have chosen. Very fashionable and reflects the light well without being any shade of white.
I wonder if that is vintage wrapping paper? Sure is cute. Good luck with getting the painting finished today. Thinking of what you accomplish every day, your energy level wears me out! I am being inspired by you and Linda to get more done every day.
Thank you Susette,
Cindy was just my encourager on this one…she said any of the colors would be fine…so I just picked this one. It does change colors in the day…but that’s okay… George gets the tan color he likes and I get the the taupe/gray color I like…at different times throughout the day.
Well, a dr vidit, lunch and a trip for groceries to Walmart for my mom set me back so the painting didn’t get done…totally…but there’s always tomorrow!
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
CONGRATULATIONS on the floors (the caps shows I am excited!!). I know what it is like to live for years with something unwanted house-wise. So, I really am excited for you. Choosing a paint color is hard for me too. In our other house, it took me almost four years to decide on a color for the bedroom. I did a little better in the kitchen where we live now, that took me about a year to decide. I had those little paint cards taped on the walls. By the time I chose one, they had changed the name!! Painting is a big job though so don’t feel like you aren’t getting it done quickly enough. It’s like sewing, it takes time to get all the preparations done correctly. If you skip the prep, the results aren’t as pleasing.
I love the wrapping paper. Like Linda D, I loved paper dolls.
Good luck getting the alterations done. Ten Ping looks so cute and patient sitting in her chair.
Have a good day.
Take care.
Hi Charlotte,
I’m a bit late as I was trying to giverify my dining room another coat of paint…and then we worked on trim…ugh! We just aren’t cut out to be trim people…
I do like the color of paint I chose, and especially in the evening hours…it’s the most dramatic then and it really makes my white trim stand out. It never did that before.
I finished the alterations and George delivered them to the guys this morning.
I’m guessing as soon as I get the painting and we do the trim, we can work on the floor a little more and then cones MY NEW FLOOR!!!
It’s crazy to be so excited over a new floor but I sure am!
Thank you Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
You are a whirlwind of energy, Jeanne. Your room looks like it’s going to bring some fresh cheer to you-at least I hope so after all of the work you’re putting into it. Ahh, waiting for floors after 13 years…I surely understand what it is to wait. I trust you’ll be doubly blessed by both walls and floors being renewed.
And, an Angolan alteration job? Perfect for one such as you-giving and able to do such work. I have an elderly neighbor here who called out to me in the last number of months asking if I knew anyone who could do some of the same for her. Well, I knew myself and told her I could do it. She has allowed me to do a number of jobs for her in the alteration department and has begged me not to move. There’s no concern in that area, but she made it clear it’s very hard to find anyone who can do such. Do you think young ladies or gents are more into sewing than some of our aging generation might be?
Blessings on you and George for your warm hearts to others.
Hi Becky,
You said it exactly right…doubly blessed with new walls (and TRIM) and new flooring… it won’t even seem like the same room…
Around here, it’s VERY hard to find anyone who does alterations. I tell people I don’t do them anymore, that I just make and sell doll clothes, but something always comes up that makes it impossible for me to say no.
I don’t know very many young people who are into sewing…it’s almost becoming a lost art.
Thank you, Becky,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a lot of work! I’m sure it will all be worth it though. Looking forward to seeing it all finished. And the floor, should really make a fantastic difference. No more splinters…
The present has me guessing. Odd shape. What is it?
Little Ten Ping looks so much nicer. When I look at my orange girl, I cringe. Why would Ruby Red Galleria paint a little sweetie orange tone?
Hope you have time for more painting today. Wondering what floor you are choosing.
Hi Joy,
I think the “no more splinters” is going to be my hubby’s favorite part! I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like to have new floors!!!
I can’t wait to share about what we chose!!!
Ten Ping is super excited to be next for a dress…whenever that might be! Maybe you could find a doll artist who could paint yours…
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
How exciting that you’ve decided on what you want for floors. I’m sure that’s a big load off of your minds.
I get how it is to agonize over paint colors. I like what you chose. It looks to be a light light gray? My son let me fix up his guest room and I chose a paint called “sailcloth” since we into boating. It appeared to be an off white. The room was to look beachy (not overdone beachy) but summery in blue, gray and white. The sailcloth paint had a yellowish cast to it and the look wasn’t what I wanted. I figure it’ll work though so it’s not so match-y match-y. It looks
very nice. He’s going to put in a very inexpensive gray carpet. The bedspread was the core of coloring.
If’ll be fun hearing what you think about it today. I’m sure this is all so very exciting.
Little Ten Ping must be very excited since she’s up. What a little cutie.
Hope your day goes well with the paint.
Hi Paula,
Well, I just called it quits for the night. I’m sick of painting and still have the living room to go and all the trim up by the ceiling. Ugh! Trim is NOT our friend! About an hour into the trim, I was ready to go to Lowes and get one of those angle gadgets that help you get the angles right. Our house is old and the walls aren’t exactly straight so some of th he angles are 17.5 degrees and 22 degrees…if they were 45’s and 90 degrees, we might make it, ND we did, but it took us 3 hours to do 13 feet of trim. BUT there were 6 angles to cut!
Your son’s room sounds very fresh and clean to me. Even if it’s a bit too yellow, I’m sure it will all pull together when everything gets put back in there.
Thanks Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
I’m so excited for you! New paint … new flooring! What a very nice gift to yourself and the family. When we were young we bought an older home (built in the late 1800’s it was once a stage coach stop… oh the history in that building! It was very neat finding a note in the walls once we started our remodel. Well wishes from the previous owners. A remodel done in the 1920’s found newspaper tacked to wall used as insulation! It made me smile, people made do back then, nothing was thrown away. Reading the news paper was so cool. Advertisements listed three digit phone numbers. I know that waiting for flooring feeling. My daughter lived in her super coupe. With under layment down she hardly was down on the floor. She skipped the crawling stage nearly altogether and went straight to pulling herself up and walking along the couch. Anyway got side tracked sorry. I AM SUPER EXCITED FOR YOU ALL! I really like the new wall color and can’t wait to see the new floor. Just wanted to mention there is a self leveler out there if your new flooring requires flat level floors. You mix it and pour it out and it spreads where it’s needed. We used it and it worked wonders.
PS
this wasn’t the house hubby hung his tool belt up for good it was the second house but that’s another story! LOL
Hugs
Ingrid
Hi Ingrid,
We’ve always joked about finding hidden treasure in our 1892 house too. So far we have only found a vintage box of corn flakes, some costume jewelry, some broken china, and some scribbled notes on wood, but just for measuring…your treasures sound much more exciting!
We did look into that and thought th hat was what we’d end up using, but the man who was contracted from Lowes said we would need underlayment too! We’re talking big bucks now! We found something better!!!
I can’t wait to share it!
Blessings, Jeanne
Love the wall paint color and can’t wait to see the new floors! I’ve used that self leveling liquid that Joy and Ingrid spoke about and it worked out well for me, too, but whatever you do, I’m sure it will work well!! Hugs, Ali
Hi Ali,
I’m sitting here looking at my walls and I do like the color…it’s sort of a soft brown gray, or a taupe and gray mixed together. It changes colors through out the day. I have lots of light in my house…4 big dining room windows, my front door which is half glass…a big window in my living room that is 9 feet long, my kitchen window is on the east end of the room and it’s about 4 feet by 3 feet…and my sewing room has 3 windows that shine into the dining room and living room. I’m not lacking for light at all!
Thanks Ali,
Blessings, Jeanne
How wonderful to be getting new paint and new flooring, your whole house will seem brand new, too. I know when we got new hardwood flooring in the family room and chose flooring for the sunroom after it was built was a very involved process. You want to be sure you will love it forever. That’s why the sunroom had a lighter ore driftwood color so I could paint it chicory blue with white trim and have a beach look going with a picture of two Edwardian ladies strolling along a beach and our antique wicker settee and rocker. I also have an “Anne ” print from PEI and the jars of sand and soil along with an assortment of PEI and Nova Scotia rocks (love). It my room of perpetual summer. The family room floor is darker and I change out pictures, flowers and throws to suit the season. The walls are a rich cream and look cooler or warmer depending on what else color wise is in the room. Yes, paint colors have funny names, but who cares, as long as the color looks great, which it does.
Ten Ping is waiting patiently for her new dress. I didn’t care for her before and actually wondered what you saw in her (sorry), but she is so much prettier now and I’m looking forward to seeing the new dress you’ll create for her new look.
Love the wrapping paper. I love paper dolls as well. i actually have quite a few Lion’s coffee paper dolls as well as Woolson Spice and other trade cards that I received as Christmas gifts many years ago. I love antique paper ephemera.
Hi Laura,
It’s too bad my kitchen is attached to the dining room and living room. We haven’t done a thing to the kitchen except put in a new window and door and b put down some peel and stick tile.
I’ll have to ignore the kitchen end and just enjoy my dining and living room area.
I’ve been sitting here in my living room, in the middle of all the mess, answering your comments and every once in a while I look up and say to myself, “yep, I do like the color!”
Your rooms sound “delicious!”
I have to admit, even I wasn’t “crazy” about Ten Ping either, but I thought she was cute…now I just love her and I’m anxious to make her a really pretty dress…
I’m not sure if the paper is vintage or not…it might be. It sure is cute though.
Thank you Laura
Blessings, Jeanne
The paint color is lovely. If you want to change the trim, see if there’s a color called Ashes, something gray but not too dark. With the wood you have, something in a brown shade might be even better. The new paint and the new floor will make all your furniture look new. It’s going to be beautiful and I think Cindy is right — choose something you like and go with it because there must be hundreds of colors that would be beautiful. I should do the same thing here.
I love Laura’s idea of changing elements in the room with the seasons.
I do hope that lovely wrapping paper has paper dolls to go with the clothes. The clothes are too nice not to have someone to wear them.
What’s a color you have never used for Ten Ping? Or — you do have shoe fabric that would go with the material you used for Emmie. A little sister look might be very nice. Summer dress season is nearly over — then you get to move into fall colors and everyone gets to look new and fresh in new colors.
I’m looking forward to new floor information soon — but tomorrow? The Mysterious Package mystery solved.
Take care and stay well.
Hi Marilyn,
My hope was to paint my plank ceiling white instead of the orangish red tone it is. It was going to be a mammoth job because the boards have been stained and then have a clear finish on them. The whole ceiling would have to be sanded to rough it up a bit, then primed and then probably painted twice. I wanted flooring before I wanted a white ceiling so I conceded…at least for now.
I think there are thousands of paint colors…that was the problem.
I was looking at Ten Ping and all the choices I can use with her now…her orange coloring before limited me on what I made for her, or when I picked the hot pinks and reds, she looked kind of funny in them.
It’s 11:30 and I still have to write thst post…I better get busy!
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Marilyn,
LOL I actually thought of suggesting ashes, but then decided against it. I can just imagine someone saying, ” Oh I love your wall paint and trim, what colors are they?” to which Jeanne would reply, “Why they’re sackcloth and ashes” which would be met with utter silence.
Thanks for your compliment on changing decor with the seasons. I use lavenders, purples and yellows for spring, blue and yellow for summer, rust orange, creams and browns for autumn and of course, red, green and gold at Christmas. When I was homeschooling, it was just another way to liven things up.